What to Do If ICE Arrives: A Checklist for Childcare Providers

In one of the most important conversations we've had on Early Childhood Chats, Andy Roszak sits down with Yi Lee, immigration attorney and founder of Olive Branch Immigration in Daytona Beach, Florida, to break down everything early childhood professionals need to know about ICE enforcement, constitutional protections, and how to keep your program, your staff, and the families you serve safe.Yi and Andy have known each other for nearly twenty years — they went to law school together — and Yi now represents clients in more than forty states, practicing exclusively in immigration law under federal jurisdiction. In this special edition episode, recorded live as a webinar, they walk through real scenarios that programs across the country are already facing: unmarked vehicles on the street, agents appearing at drop-off, and questions that put well-meaning staff in difficult positions.You'll learn the critical difference between a judicial warrant and an administrative warrant, why receiving federal Head Start funding does not make your facility a public space, how consent works — including how it can be revoked — and exactly what your staff should say when approached. This is the episode to share with your entire leadership team.Topics covered include:The Fourth and Fifth Amendments and who they protect (hint: everyone)Judicial warrants vs. administrative warrants — why it matters enormouslyHow to designate your facility as private space, including parking lots and playgroundsStaff scripting: what to say, what not to say, and who should be the point personHow to communicate with families after an incident without causing alarm or legal exposureEmergency planning for families: authorized pickup lists, phone numbers, and what happens when a parent is detainedScenario walkthroughs: unmarked vehicles, agents at drop-off, requests to wait in the lobbyThis episode applies to Head Start programs, center-based childcare, family childcare providers, church-based preschools, and every other early childhood setting. Your constitutional rights are the same regardless of your funding source.Yi Lee is an immigration attorney at Olive Branch Immigration, licensed to practice in federal immigration proceedings across the United States. He can be reached at 1-888-419-5817 or via olivebranchimmigration.org.This episode does not constitute legal advice. Please consult qualified legal counsel in your jurisdiction for guidance specific to your program.----------------------------Early Childhood Chats is hosted by Andrew Roszak - JD, MPA, EMT-PExecutive Director at the Institute for Childhood Preparedness. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness is proud to use its decades of experience to offer comprehensive and expert disaster and emergency preparedness trainings live in-person, via webinar, and on-demand online. // Visit: https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/ to find out more // Schedule your training today https://www.childhoodpreparedness.org/trainingFOLLOW UShttps://www.instagram.com/childhoodpreparedness/ https://www.facebook.com/ChildPreparedhttps://twitter.com/ChildPreparedhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/institute-for-childhood-preparedness© Institute for Childhood Preparedness 2026 all rights reserved