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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GLOBAL RESEARCH INNOVATIONS & TECHNOLOGY (IJGRIT) [ Vol. 4 | No. 2 | April - June, 2026 ]

Aftercare Without Papers is Not Aftercare: Making Immigration Counsel a Standard Foster Care Service

Prabin Acharya

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the critical and neglected aspect of aftercare support for immigrant foster youth in the US that exit the child welfare system undocumented. Using original data from a mixed-method study consisting of an extensive nationwide survey of 1,240 current and former foster youth with immigrant backgrounds, semi-structured interviews with 48 child welfare professionals, and a comprehensive literature review of 62 peer-reviewed articles on the topic, written between 2010 and 2024, the paper contends that the concept of immigration legal assistance has to be fundamentally redefined as a key component of aftercare support in foster care systems instead of being regarded as an additional or optional service. According to the findings of the paper, 74 percent of immigrant foster youth become independent without receiving any assistance from immigration legal counselors, and foster youth provided with coordinated immigration legal advice show significantly greater success in terms of housing conditions, education, employment, and mental health compared to their peers who lack such support. Analysis on gaps found in the state-level policy framework reveals inconsistencies with mandates in service delivery, with only seven states having a mandate to deliver immigration legal services in aftercare planning in 2024. A framework is proposed that includes three aspects for reforming policies: expansion of mandate at the federal level through Fostering Connections Act, integration at state level, and creation of a pipeline for developing professionals in immigration law and child welfare. The results of this study have serious implications for legislators, child welfare planners, scholars in fields of immigration laws, social work, and developmental psychology.

 

Acharya, P. (2026). Aftercare Without Papers is Not Aftercare: Making Immigration Counsel a Standard Foster Care Service. International Journal of Global Research Innovations & Technology, 04(01), 155–164. https://doi.org/10.62823/IJGRIT/04.02.9007
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DOI:

Article DOI: 10.62823/IJGRIT/04.02.9007

DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.62823/IJGRIT/04.02.9007

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