How to Help Separated Migrant Parents and Children
The Trump administration's directive to separate migrant parents from their children at the border is placing young people in increasingly terrifying and vulnerable positions. While parents are often prosecuted, and placed in jail, for trying to cross the border illegally, children are taken from their parents and placed into foster care or government custody.
As Vox recently reported, "Between October 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018, at least 2,700 children have been split from their parents. 1,995 of them were separated over the last six weeks of that window-April 18 to May 31-indicating that at present, an average of 45 children are being taken from their parents each day." The volume of separations occurring on a daily basis is truly devastating.
Donald Trump claims that a so-called "Democratic law" requires for migrant children and parents to be separated at the border:
Separating families at the Border is the fault of bad legislation passed by the Democrats. Border Security laws should be changed but the Dems can’t get their act together! Started the Wall.
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018
But it's become apparent that, once separated from their families, children are often being placed in detention centers, in which conditions are less than adequate. MSNBC correspondent, Jacob Soboroff, visited one such center, sharing photos of the converted former-Walmart store, which also features a Trump mural. Soboroff wrote:
"This shelter, Casa Padre, is the largest licensed childcare facility of its kind in the country. Nearly 1,500 boys 10-17 in here now. They’re supposed to sleep four to room. Nearly every room has 5. They’ve received a variance from the state because of overcrowding."
Here are some of the ways you can help migrant parents and children who have been separated at the border.
Support advocacy organizations:
There are a number of organizations advocating on behalf of parents separated from their children at the border.
Refinery29 has a comprehensive guide of organizations that can help, if you'd like to financially support the cause, or personally volunteer and get involved. For the full list, visit Refinery29's full article for information here.
For instance, RAICES in Texas offers legal services to immigrant children and families; you can donate to the organization, or become a volunteer. Border Angels is an organization in California with a focus on the U.S./Mexico border. And the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project supports "over 1,000 unaccompanied children in detention centers across South Texas" (via Refinery29).
Contact your elected officials:
Refinery29's extensive guide to helping migrant parents and children separated at the border includes a plethora of important information. As the site points out, contacting Congress could have a big impact, especially as there are several senators that have already proposed bills to protect children, such as the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2018, or the Keep Families Together Act.
Attend a rally or vigil:
According to Refinery29, Families Belong Together has "organized rallies and vigils in dozens of cities across the country," to raise awareness of the inadequate living conditions that migrant children are being forced to live in. By attending a protest or rally, members of the public have been attempting to shed a light on what happens when a child is separated from their parent at the Mexico-US border.
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