The Central American Minors (CAM) Working Group: Community-Based Responses Supporting Immigrant Children and Families

Background and purpose: Over the past 15 years, the United States has experienced a significant increase in the number of unaccompanied immigrant children entering the country, with many eventually reunifying with parents or sponsors. The largest proportion of unaccompanied immigrant children have settled in the greater Houston, Texas area, a region marked by large immigrant populations in a state known for its anti-immigrant sentiment and enforcement. These children and families often face numerous barriers to accessing traditional ‘safety net’ services due to barriers related to immigration status and fear. The successful integration, adjustment, and long-term well-being of immigrant children and their families depend on responsive, community-based support systems that understand their unique strengths and challenges. In response, local grassroots initiatives have emerged to address these gaps in services and advocate for newcomer immigrant families across the region and beyond.

Methods: This presentation highlights the development, evolution, and impact of the Central American Minors (CAM) Working Group, a grassroots coalition formed in 2014 in response to the dramatic increase of unaccompanied immigrant children, primarily from Central America, settling in the Houston, Texas area. Drawing from practice experience and grounded in collective action and empowerment frameworks, this presentation explores the CAM Working Group as a case study and community-driven model of community coordination and advocacy.

Results: The CAM Working Group brings together a diverse network of stakeholders—including educators, legal service providers, social workers, health professionals, and mutual aid organizations—who collaborate to provide wraparound support for newcomer immigrant families. Through monthly convenings, cross-sector partnerships, and coordinated responses to emerging community needs, the group has: 1) successfully increased access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services; 2) promoted trauma-informed care practices; 3) responded to local emergencies, and; 4) advanced local policy recommendations in collaboration with other social action groups.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings illustrate that the group’s community-based, non-hierarchical approach fosters trust among service providers and immigrant families alike, while also allowing for adaptability in times of crisis, such as during immigration policy changes, disasters, and public health emergencies. The CAM Working Group has been recognized by institutions such as UNICEF, the Migration Policy Institute, and Children at Risk as a model for community-led practices that support immigrant families and local service providers. This presentation contributes to the broader field of social work by illustrating how collective, localized responses can fill critical service gaps for immigrant populations at risk for immigration enforcement actions and barriers to accessing community resources. It emphasizes the importance of building cross-sector coalitions rooted in empowerment and mutual aid and underscores the role of social workers in coordinating and sustaining such efforts. Implications for practice include strategies for forming and facilitating similar working groups in other high-need areas, as well as the importance of centering immigrant voices in program design and implementation. In a political era marked by systemic exclusion and oppression, the CAM Working Group serves as a replicable example of how communities can mobilize to support immigrant children and families in meaningful, sustainable ways.