Undocumented children bribed with cash to waive due process rights, continuing ICE raids in DC and other major cities, government shutdown threatens Virginia federal healthcare workers, impact of pending U.S. Supreme Court rulings on social workers/clients, Virginia “No Kings 2.0” Protests Oct. 18

(Week of Oct. 4-10, 2025)

• New Deportation Tactic Tricks Undocumented Children into Waiving Due Process Rights for Cash

• ICE Continues Its Strong-Arm Immigration Raids in Virginia, DC, Sweeping up U.S. Citizens and Children as Well

• New Term for U.S. Supreme Court Holds Docket of Social Work Policy Priorities such as LGBTQIA2S+ Rights, Voting Rights, Immigration/Due Process

• Federal Shutdown Continues to Threaten Virginia Jobs, Healthcare

• WIC Program Food, Healthcare Funding Could Run Out in Weeks for 100,000 Virginians   

• Oct. 18 No Kings 2.0 Protests Give Virginia Social Workers a Chance to Amplify Pro-Democracy, Pro-Medicaid/Medicare Messages

  
  

IMMIGRATION: Unaccompanied non-U.S. children age 14 and older are essentially being bribed and coerced into accepting a $2,500 cash stipend to “voluntarily” be deported to countries from which they have fled, thanks to a horrifying new approach by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Virginia ranks eighth in the number of unaccompanied children released into a sponsor’s care—nearly 34,000 from October 2014 to April 2024. The operation, apparently called “Freaky Friday,” involves masked agents “offering” a child–with no adult oversight required–to sign a form that changes their residency status and waives their due process rights. Officials sought to downplay “shocked” outrage by immigration advocates who noted the absence of legal representation and guidance being provided for such children. NASW and NASW Virginia strongly oppose mass deportations, and NASWVA recently submitted an op-ed to the Richmond Times-Dispatch regarding the immense trauma to children threatened with or experiencing deportation. 

IMMIGRATION: Meanwhile, Virginians who work in DC continue to see massive influxes of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal law enforcement and military equipment, as well as Virginia National Guard members who are providing “administrative support” both in DC and statewide. ICE is currently focusing its combat-style military raids in Portland, Ore.; Chicago; and Memphis, La., which have included confirmed usage of zip-tieing children as young as 3 and disappearing detainees. Witnesses also were outraged when one agent laughed about the children’s terror, saying, “F*** them kids.”

SOCIAL WORK LAW/LGBTQIA2S+/VOTING RIGHTS: The U.S. Supreme Court began its new term this week with arguments related to conversion therapy, trans athlete bans, voting rights, immigration, human rights, and other policy priorities of Virginia social workers front and center on its docket. (See below for NASW’s new amicus brief regarding one case.)   

FEDERAL SHUTDOWN IMPACTS ON VIRGINIA: “A government that shuts down its services is a government that shuts out its people, and that is not just unacceptable, it is un-American," according to a new NASW Social Work blog post with NASW Policy Advisor Mel Wilson's analysis of the shutdown. The Commonwealth has nearly 150,000 federal workers—the third-largest in the U.S., according to the Office of Personnel Management—and potentially permanent furloughs continue for many of those workers. Others are working without pay through the shutdown. Some government officials claim that even if the government is closed for more than 30 days, employees would have to wait to be reimbursed until after the government reopens or even donate those hours. President Trump continued to threaten to use the shutdown this week to expand his federal worker cuts if Democrats don’t cave to Republicans’ refusal to reinstate funding for Medicaid, Medicare, and other safety-net programs.

Equality Virginia—a coalition ally of NASW Virginia—urges social workers to downgrade any overconcern about Gov. Young’s inflamatory press release about a rulemaking process that is already underway to target trans people after he failed to pass anti-trans legislation in four years. State regulatory rule-making takes significant time, with multiple required opportunities for public comment. “This is nothing more than an attempt to gain press while an election is underway,” says Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “They’re throwing a Hail Mary because [organizations and members] held the line….”

FOOD SECURITY: Funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for (Low-Income) Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) that feeds and gives healthcare to 100,000 low-income in Virginians will run out within one to two weeks, warn hunger relief nonprofits. The program provides healthcare access for pregnant women, infants, and youth, as well as nutrition education and supplemental food. Virginia legislators could step in to cover the funding gap and seek reimbursement after a federal budget passes, but to date, they have not, choosing instead to wait to see what happens in congressional negotiations this week first.  

CALL TO ACTION: Make your voice heard–join fellow social workers and others for one of thousands of “No Kings 2.0” demonstrations October 18 in Virginia and nationwide. Look up your nearest location and bring a sign to stand up for democracy, voting rights, full funding for Medicaid/Medicare, federal jobs, continued mental health programs in schools and communities, independent scientific and academic research, and many more issues on which NASW and NASW Virginia has taken a stance. Learn more about this national movement and get engaged!