New restrictions for immigrants could chill Head Start enrollment, advocates say
Vermont is among 20 states that filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to restrict the Head Start program based on immigration status, claiming it violates federal law.
by Auditi Guha
July 27, 2025, 6:58 am
For 60 years, all families across the United States, including in Vermont, have had access to Head Start, a federally funded preschool program that has become a national model for positive early learning, health and nutrition outcomes.
On July 10, however, the Trump administration announced the program will require immigration status verification, a new restriction that could affect scores of families enrolled across Vermont.
“Fundamentally, Head Start programs believe in meeting the needs of all children so they can thrive in adulthood. Head Start programs strive to make every child feel welcome, safe, and supported, and reject the characterization of any child as ‘illegal,’” Christy Swenson, director of Head Start in Vermont, wrote in an email.
https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/27/new-restrictions-for-immigrants-could-chill-head-start-enrollment-advocates-say/