In the News

Blaming Parents Is an Unconscionable Response to Children Fleeing Violence

by Olivia Golden, Washington Monthly (July 18, 2017)

The Trump administration’s idea of treating a refugee crisis as the fault of parents crosses a line of morality and decency.

California AG Supports Program for Unaccompanied Immigrant Youth

by Victoria Rocha, The Chronicle of Social Change (July 18, 2017)

Attorney General advocates for “greater protections for unaccompanied undocumented youth seeking legal immigration status under the federal Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) program.”

HIAS Welcomes July Ruling on Refugee Ban in Executive Order

HIAS (July 14, 2017)

Statement of support issued for ruling that explains, “refugees with assurances from U.S.-based resettlement agencies are now officially considered to have ‘bona fide’ relationships with a U.S. entity, as defined by the Supreme Court.”

Judge said these kids get a green card; ICE says they get deported

by Bernice Yeung, Center for Investigative Reporting (July 6, 2017)

In-process cases for vulnerable children see new risks via aggressive enforcement that includes rapid deportation.

Court: Detained immigrant children entitled to court hearing

by Sudhin Thanawala, Associated Press, Orange County Register (July 5, 2017)

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said two laws passed by Congress did not end the right to a bond hearing for unaccompanied immigrant children who are detained by federal authorities.

American Academy of Pediatrics Statement Opposing Continued Federal Efforts to Tear Apart Immigrant Families

by Fernando Stein, M.D, AAP (June 30, 2017)

The American Academy of Pediatrics makes statement against the Department of Homeland Security’s new “enforcement initiative” to deport parents, caregivers and sponsors who sent for their unaccompanied children.

ICE came for their fathers and husbands. Now these Mississippi families will live in poverty

Will Tucker, Southern Poverty Law Center (June 26, 2017)

Mississippi ICE cases take residents valuable to the community.

Federal sponsors of unaccompanied children now at risk for deportation

Garance Burke, apnews.com (June 30, 2017)

New “surge initiative” will target parents and other relatives who may try to have children smuggled into the country. Federal administrators announced a new effort to seek out anyone who hires coyotes to bring in children and arrest them, a departure from prior practices.

This new enforcement targets those who had often functioned as sponsors of incoming immigrant children, now jeopardizing placement for the children and forcing the children to stay with other family members or move under the care of ORR. Legal challenges may result.

Judge finds governmental violations including holding children too long in detention, substandard conditions

Karolina Walters, immigrationimpact.org (June 28, 2017)

Ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Dolly M Gee finds that the government is disregarding critical protections for children in detention and declares that each case must be individually considered.

Immigrant Family Feels Safe in Greensboro Church

Lisa O’Donnell, Winston-Salem Journal (June 29, 2017)

Congregation decides unanimously to provide sanctuary to family that would otherwise be separated.