Maryam Rafieifar

Dr. Maryam Rafieifar is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her work focuses on the lives of children born to immigrant families and how immigration enforcement shapes their well-being. Her projects often engage with community partners and highlight how stressors related to immigration create risks, but also how families are resilient and how they prepare to support their children. In studying these issues, she has seen clear overlap with child welfare in three areas: unaccompanied migrant children who enter the United States alone, children from immigrant families who become involved with Child Protective Services after reports of abuse or neglect, and children whose parents are detained or deported and who may enter foster care or require alternative caregiving. These intersections show how immigration and child welfare systems are deeply connected. Her work supports the mission of the Child Welfare Research Center and complements the priorities of the Child Welfare Research Center. As an affiliate, Dr. Maryam Rafieifar looks forward to presenting her research at the Child Welfare Symposium, connecting with practitioners and agencies, and contributing to collaborative projects that address the needs of diverse families.