All parents panic at the thought of an emergency that separates a parent from a child and leaves the child temporarily with no immediate care provider. No parent wants the state to take responsibility for their child, or consider foster care for a temporary situation when better options exists. This parental concern is even stronger for parents who fear contact with Immigration & Customs Enforcement or another law enforcement agency. There are legal tools that help a parent prepare for such a scenario.
In many cases, the period of separation is less than twenty-four hours and...