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OOFY January 2026 Updates

The Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson handles complaints from anyone, prioritizing concerns from young people about their rights, care, safety, and placement in Minnesota foster care, including youth in Extended Foster Care and those who have recently aged out of care.

Supporting Youth and Families Impacted by the Presence of Federal Immigration Enforcement Agents

In line with the most recent statement issued by Governor Walz regarding the increased presence of federal agents in our communities across the state, OOFY recognizes the unique ways our Foster community is impacted. Racial disproportionality in the Minnesota foster care system is well documented. Many youth and families are navigating deep fear about the possibility of contact with federal agents, and some have been directly impacted when they or their loved ones have been questioned, arrested, or detained. Many Fosters, especially those who are non-citizens, understandably need increased support and clear information about how their status may impact access to Foster-specific resources.

OOFY will continue to share resources and information, and highlights the following at this time:

• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status is one pathway to legal status for some noncitizen children in the care of the state. See the MN Department of Human Services guidance here. As a reminder, it is within a caseworker's role to 1) identify youth that may benefit from an immigration attorney, 2) make early referral for consultation and 3) ensure the youth has access to legal immigration representation (page 8).

• Red Cards: All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center's red cards give examples of how people, including youth, can exercise these rights. Learn how to order red cards, print your own in many languages and effectively use them.  

• Protecting the Best Interests of Non-Citizen Youth in CHIPS Proceedings (CASCW Webinar): Due to numerous changes in the processing by the immigration courts of families and children facing removal or who otherwise lack permanent legal status, CASCW partnered with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and The Advocates for Human Rights for this webinar held on January 9, 2026. The recording is available here.

• Eligibility for Medical Assistance: The Minnesota Department of Human Services recently added information about the impact of citizenship status on eligibility for Medical Assistance for youth who aged out of foster care at age 18 or older to their website.  

• Access to Foster Care Licensing: Section 11.4 of Minnesota Child Foster Care Licensing Guidelines provides clarity on access to foster care licensing.  “In Minnesota, U.S. citizenship is not required to be granted a child foster care license. A person may not be denied the opportunity to apply, nor may they have their application denied based on a worker’s belief that the applicant may at some future time face deportation or other immigration-related challenges.”

Board Recruitment

Esther Wattenberg Policy Breakfast

OOFY's Deputy Ombudsperson Hannah Planalp was proud to join the Esther Wattenberg Policy Breakfast to share about the contributions of Representative Jessica Hanson. Rep. Hanson has championed many improvements for Minnesota foster youth through legislative action and will continue to do so this session as chief House author of the Foster Youth Bill of Rights. Fill out CASCW's form here to share your policy priorities for 2026!  To support the Foster Youth Bill of Rights as an individual or organization, please sign our letter of support.