HOUSTON AT RISK: MPI SAYS 70,000 UNDOCUMENTED SCHOOL-AGE KIDS, 283,000 PARENTS FACE DEPORTATION THREATS AS ENFORCEMENT INTENSIFIES

A new Migration Policy Institute analysis estimates 70,000 school-age children in the Houston metro lack legal status and 283,000 parents of minors are at risk of deportation. Texas ranks second nationally for children living with an unauthorized parent, while the U.S. unauthorized population rose to 13.7 million in 2023. Researchers link heightened enforcement pressure to adverse child health and school outcomes, with local data suggesting a concentrated regional risk in the Houston area.