June 26, 2026 –The event invites locals to join for an evening of art, advocacy, and community connection to learn about the threats currently facing the immigrant community so they can stand alongside their immigrant neighbors as allies.
Media Contact: John Henry, jhenry@childrensdefense.org, CDF Media Relations Manager, 708-646-7679
HOUSTON, TX— On Thursday, the youth advocacy organization Children’s Defense Fund-Texas (CDF-TX) will convene community members, educators, and parents to discuss the impact of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, immigrant detention, and deportations on children and families in Houston.
The goal of the event, called “Free Families,” is to connect attendees to local opportunities to support immigrant neighbors and advocate against the cruel policies that threaten their well-being. The free event will feature presentations from advocates, attorneys, healthcare and mental health professionals, and community leaders regarding the impacts of ICE kidnappings, detention, and deportations on local families and communities.
The event will feature a dinner buffet and an exhibit showcasing artwork and letters from children in ICE detention. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage in art as advocacy and connect with local immigrant-serving organizations to take meaningful action as allies. CDF-TX is organizing the event in partnership with members of the Houston Leads coalition and the Central American Minors working group.
CDF-TX Senior Administrator of Policy and Advocacy Trudy Taylor Smith, Esq. said the Free Families event will serve as an opportunity for Houstonians to connect with local immigrant-serving organizations and explore how they can take meaningful action to support the region’s immigrant community through volunteering, advocacy, and mutual aid.
Free Families
When: Thursday, June 25, 2026 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: BakerRipley’s Gulfton Sharpstown Campus | 6500 Rookin St, Houston, TX 77074
“Every child deserves dignity, safety, and freedom,” she said. “ICE has separated more than 145,000 U.S. citizen children from their parents, and right now, ICE is systematically abusing and neglecting children by detaining them and their families under horrific conditions. We are holding this event to inform Houstonians about the impacts of these cruel policies on the local community, and to connect folks with the relationships, information, and tools they need to support impacted neighbors.”
Since President Trump’s second term began, more than 6,200 children have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while the parents of more than 146,000 U.S. citizen children have been detained across America. Hundreds of families have been detained at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, where young people and their parents are denied adequate food, clean drinking water, and medical care.
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About Children’s Defense Fund
Founded in 1973, Children’s Defense Fund envisions a nation where marginalized children flourish, leaders prioritize their well-being, and communities wield the power to ensure they thrive. The only national, multi-issue advocacy organization working at the intersection of child well-being and racial justice, CDF advances the well-being of America’s most diverse generation, the 74 million children and youth under the age of 18 and 30 million young adults under the age of 25. CDF’s grassroots movements in marginalized communities build power for child-centered public policy, informed by racial equity and the lived experience of children and youth. Its renowned CDF Freedom Schools® program is conducted in nearly 100 cities across 30 states and territories. Learn more at www.childrensdefense.org.