Family Separation--What Can I Do?

I cannot tell you the endless posts I've seen on social media as of late by mamas and papas denouncing the actions of the government against immigrant families. As a parent it can feel heartbreaking and overwhelming and as a human being, parent or not, it can be devastating and hard to know what to do to help. 

I attended a community meeting this morning for information on asylum seeks and separated families. Make NO mistake that the current executive order is a stop gap, but does nothing for all the families currently being separate and does nothing to address the fact that asylum seekers are still being turned over to the DOJ to be processed criminally (SEEKING ASYLUM IS NOT A CRIME).

There is much to do, and much you can do whether its from the comfort of your home, computer and phone or going out into your community to take action. Here's a short list of things you can do to help, right now at this moment:

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​Educate Yourself On Family Separation

• https://supportkind.org/media/family-separation-at-the-border/
• https://www.aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention/fact-checking-family-separation?redirect=blog/fact-checking-family-separation
• https://www.vox.com/2018/6/11/17443198/children-immigrant-families-separated-parents

 
How to Help

• Donate: provide legal aid to those currently being detained. “Immigrants, even children, have no guarantee of legal representation as they pursue asylum or face deportation. Most do not know their rights or speak English well enough to represent themselves. In 75 percent of cases where children had counsel, an immigration judge determined they had a strong enough claim for asylum or humanitarian protection and allowed them to stay in the United States.”
  • Nationally
    • https://actionnetwork.org/groups/raices-refugee-and-immigrant-center-for-education-and-legal-services
    • www.aclu.org
    • https://supportkind.org
    • https://www.theyoungcenter.org
  • Pacific NW Local
    • https://www.nwirp.org
  • Organizations in TX and AZ (places where immigrants are being directly prosecuted)
    • https://texascivilrightsproject.org (Texas)
    • https://firrp.org/getinvolved/volunteer/ (Arizona)

 

• Contact Your Representatives 
  • Call Congress (202)-224-312, ask your Senators and Representative’s to:
    • Support efforts to defund family separation in appropriations and decrease funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices within the Department of Justice
    • End the policy of separating and jailing families. Demand that President Trump, DHS Secretary Nielsen, and Attorney General Sessions end family separation and detention through social media, letters, appropriations, and in Congressional hearings
    • Urge your Member of Congress to cosponsor the following legislation:
      • S. 3036 – Keep Families Together Act 
      • R. 2572 – Protect Family Values at the Border Act
      • R. 5950/S.2937 – the HELP Separated Children Act
      • R. 2043/S. 2468 – Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2018
• Provide Accompaniment & Solidarity to Asylum Seekers
  • Find out how to provide financial support for humanitarian and trasnproation needs to asylum seekers
    • Local in the Pacific Northwest: www.thechurchcouncil.org (designate your gift for the specific purpose of SeaTac Asylum-Seekers Assistance)
  • Offer short-term shelter at congregations or in private homes to asylum seekers when they release and making plans to reunite with their families and find housing.
    • Local in Pacific Northwest: contact Brianna Brenna at: bbrannan@thechurchcouncil.org
• Attend Marches and Vigils
  • Local in PNW
    • Every day 8am-10am there is a vigil at the ICE headquarters in Seattle at 1000 2nd Street
  • Nationwide
    • https://act.moveon.org/event/families-belong-together_attend1/19992

 

• Vote: 2018 primary elections are coming up. Every vote counts. 
  • https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote