Here's How to Help Immigrant Families Who Have Been Separated at the Border
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If you—like many people across the United States including all five living First Ladies—find yourself outraged by what is happening to children and families in our country’s border towns, you are probably looking for ways to help.
But first, you’ll want to know why this is happening in the first place. In April, the Trump administration instituted a “zero tolerance” immigration policy which they believe requires separating children from their parents because those parents have committed a crime. (There is much debate as seeking asylum in the U.S. is not illegal and trying to cross the border illegally for the first time is a misdemeanor.) On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ended the separation of families, but indefinitely detains parents and children together, the New York Times reports.
You can find a full break down of the facts surrounding the policy, here. And while this list isn’t comprehensive, we have rounded up some ways you can still help families and children who are detained at the border.
Take a look:
Join in the Nationwide Protest on June 30.
A nationwide protest—organized by progressive groups like the National Domestic Workers Alliance and MoveOn—has just been announced for June 30.
The main #FamiliesBelongTogether rally will take place in Washington, D.C.’s Lafayette Square, but sister marches are being planned across the country. “We see the outrage, and we see that this has to be taken right to the White House, right to Donald Trump, to stop the family separations,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal told Chris Hayes on his show All In with Chris Hayes.
https://twitter.com/aletweetsnews/status/1008868995389362179
You can look for an event near you here.
Call Your Representatives.
As with any issue that is important to you, it is vital to let your elected representatives know where you, their constituent, stands. If your senator or congressperson has already expressed that they want to abolish this policy, you can still let them know that you appreciate their position. If they don’t, let them know what you believe needs to be done.
https://twitter.com/SenGillibrand/status/1008814809209622528
You can easily find the contact information for your reps by inputting your zip code here.
Volunteer.
If you’re an immigration lawyer, you can sign up via the Immigration Justice Campaign (https://www.immigrationjustice.us/home) to help represent the women and men with their bond hearings and other asylum representation needs.
The Texas Civil Rights Project is “looking for volunteers who speak Spanish, Mam, Q’eqchi’ or K’iche’ and have paralegal or legal assistant experience.”
Check out Act Blue where they’ve organized a number of other organizations looking for volunteers in one place.
Donate to One of These Organizations.
RAICES: The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services is a nonprofit that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas.
ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union is already litigating the separation policy in California and your money can help support them as they move forward.
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights: Due to the current crisis and need for child advocates, the Center is raising funds for a new program called the Immigrant Child and Family Rights Project. Per their website, the program “will be staffed by two attorneys who will fight on behalf of individual children, advocate for systemic change to end the practice of family separation by the Department of Homeland Security, and for policies that better protect the rights of children and families.”
ActBlue: You can make a single donation here that will be dispersed to a number of organizations including Al Otro Lado, The Florence Project, and Innovation Law Lab.
https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1008852314323587072
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project: The ASAP prevents wrongful deportations by providing community support and emergency legal aid to refugee families — no matter where they are located in the United States.
We will continue to update this list as new information becomes available.
Related Stories:
Ivanka Trump Said She’d Fight for Women. Where Is She on the Border Crisis?
Here Are the Facts About Trump’s “Zero Tolerance” Immigration Policy
All 5 Living First Ladies Have Spoken Out About Trump’s Separating Immigrant Families at the Border