I have to admit, I was very surprised to see so much outrage about what happened to our 10 year old client and her dad yesterday after I posed a question (mainly for my immig attorney friends). But perhaps we live in an immigration bubble where horrible things happen every day.1/
I know for sure that I am desensitized to many horrible things as a result, as our primary job is to help detained kids and their parents, to keep them from dying and to get them free. We hear terrible things, and battle a system that wants to send them back to terrible things 2/
But do realize that immigrant children are threatened all the time with separation. Parents are threatened all the time with losing their children. This is not something new but it is much worse. It’s a consistent threat made against children and parents in the immig. system. 3/
Ive spoken to kids who become physically ill when threatened. Kids who soil themselves. Kids who contemplate suicide because of it. It happens on the border and happens in our communities. Sometimes officers make good on their threats, sometimes it is just to demonstrate power 4/
But the purpose is to terrorize. To scare families to give up, to scare families to not comply. More often than not, however, the tactics do not work, because even the children in the system and in detention believe in America. 5/
This girl’s story is not mine to tell, and as most asylum seekers is private and horrible. Something to understand is right now in Central America it is often the children who are targeted, the children who are killed and the children who are kidnapped and abused. 6/
So to protect them, a parent will do anything they can – even put themselves in front of an immigration system that is hostile towards them. Because what they are doing is protecting their child. Surviving past adolescence in Central America today is a luxury and not a rule. 7/
This family has to face the system again in just a few short months. They like many immigrants seeking protection they must appear before authorities to be supervised, which is often hostile. Where they will face that same question about whether ICE will make good on a threat 8/
A threat to send a child to a “new family” rather than keep her with the only caretaker she has in the world. This time, however, they won’t be alone. And with the support of counsel and a complaint we hope the threats will end. 9/
The most common comment which I read questioned why the child shouldn’t just be deported with the father. That’s not how the system or laws work. Our immigration laws were made to ensure family unity and to ensure the protection of children who are vulnerable to violence. 10/
The choice between separating from your daughter or exposing her to deadly harm – is not a choice and certainly not one that our court system supports. Kids have a right to have their cases for protection heard – completely and without interference and intimidation. 11/
They also have a right to remain with a caring parent while seeking that protection. Sometimes an adult’s pathway to protection is different than his child, as the laws are complex, but there is no reason why they shouldn’t remain together as they battle for their lives. 12/
Keep being outraged. Be vigilant. We will let her know that she is loved & will update. And please hug your local immigration lawyer, advocate, activist. Certainly hug your kid. Follow good immig groups to stay updated @aldea_pjc @AlOtroLado_Org @RAICESTEXAS @FlorenceProject END.
