Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy wants to help more than 20,000 children who are U.S. citizens living in the state with parents who do not have immigration documentation.
Malloy says these kids live in fear that their parents will be deported under new federal immigration policies.
“We owe it to them, our fellow citizens, to do everything we can to make sure that they are well taken care of to make sure and that we are prepared, or that a family member, is prepared to care for them in the future.”
Malloy released a legal toolkit on Wednesday to help families name a legal guardian. It also includes a checklist to help parents gather documents for their children, in the case that they are separated by immigration enforcement.
He says if the state had to provide foster care to just 10 percent of those children, it could cost about $60 million.
Malloy says the Connecticut Family Preparedness Plan can be downloaded from the governor’s website.