Just and Caring Communities

Promise 

Our children will play freely in parks, walk safely to bus stops, and
learn in schools as sanctuaries, with neighbors and public servants as
guardians of their well-being.

Problem 

Both community and state-sponsored violence rob children of
peace and play. Guns are the leading cause of death for children and youth in America. Two-thirds of the young people in the juvenile justice system are children of color. Children are negatively impacted by immigration enforcement efforts, as 1 in 4 children in the United States have at least one foreign-born parent.

Policy Path

In this zone, CDF will advocate for public policy related to: (1) Gun safety and restrictions, (2) Public health approaches to public safety, (3) Youth justice reform, and (4) Immigration Reform.

Moonshot Generational Commitment

Eliminate youth jails and detention centers to deliver on CDF’s historic commitment to end the “criminalization of children.

Learn More

Related Updates

  • Keeping the Charge

    On June 6, Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) celebrates Founder’s Day. This date was chosen to honor the birthday of our founder and president emerita, Marian Wright Edelman.…

  • For Our Children: We Owe them Peace of Mind

    I spent most of the month of May on the road. From community celebrations with our state office and civil rights partners in New York, to stops on the State of the People Tour in Newark, Detroit, and Richmond, to keynotes and commencement addresses in Chicago, Minneapolis, and Baltimore.…

  • Early Childhood

    Take Action Today to Oppose SB 1798

    If passed, Senate Bill 1798 would amend the Texas Education Code to reclassify students whose presence in the United States is “not authorized under federal statute” as non-residents.…

  • Immigration

    Tell Your State Representatives to Vote NO on H.B. 1554 and S.B. 1005 

    If passed, House Bill 1554 and Senate Bill 1005 would endanger children, separate families, and lead to violations of the right to due process by prohibiting public funding for legal services in immigration matters for people who are considered “unlawfully present.”…