The Sad State of Family Separation Today – An Update
By Maryann Vazquez
Bedlam at
the Border. That’s what I am calling our
current immigration situation.
And that
bedlam makes it impossible to gain a clear, detailed picture of what has
happened and is continuing to happen. Even
writing this article became difficult because the narrative of immigrant family
separation kept changing; how could I even start a story that could be moot by
morning? How many families have been
reunited? How many parents have left the country with their children still in
custody? Charges of child abuse, sexual abuse have been presented in court. The
Washington Post reported that there
were violations of state child welfare laws.
On June 26 a
federal judge in California ordered federal officials to stop separating
parents from their minor children, unless the parent is deemed unfit. U.S.
District Judge Dana Sabraw ordered the government to reunite nearly all
children under age five within 14 days, and older children with 30 days. I cannot
even find an accurate number of children that have been returned - it is
different with every single source. It is maddening!!!
The Trump
Administration even argued in court that the ACLU, not the government, should
work to reunite all the families! Thankfully, the judge rejected this idea,
placing the responsibility – and the fault – directly on the shoulders of the
government, where it belongs.
One article
in the Texas Tribune states that, according to information from the Texas
Health and Human Services Commission, “the number of children held at Texas facilities
for child migrants has grown to 5,024 as of July 13 up from 4,919 on June 21.” The
shelter numbers continue to grow despite the hundreds of children reunified
with their parents. The facilities continue to request more beds, all at
tax-payer expense.
For the
children in custody, government officials add more to the bedlam by
administering drugs to them. The Washington
Post reported on court filings showing that” The staff U.S. Office of
Refugee Resettlement of would not tell them what drugs they were being given or
why.” A Federal judge ordered government officials to stop giving psychotropic
drugs to children without the parents’ consent.
ProPublica
detailed sexual abuse and misconduct in facilities. In addition, there is a
case of a six year old female that has been sexually abused by one of her
caretakers. A Los Angeles judge has appointed an independent monitor to
investigate.
It is true
that the government suspended the family separation, but not the “zero-tolerance”
policy That is still in place, and it has not deterred the number of refugees
trying to enter the U.S. In July alone, almost 9,300 people were arrested at
the border, which is roughly just a few hundred down from the previous four
months. Clearly, there is no indication the Trump administration’s hard stance
on immigration has been an effective deterrent to those seeking to come to the
United States looking for a better life. These people are desperate and will do
anything to save their children and themselves.
This is not
a reality show, 45! This has real life consequences for peoples’ lives. I just
ask the question: Have you and your administration lost your Humanity?
This is not a reality show 45! This
has real life consequences to in peoples lives. I just ask the question. Have
you and your administration lost your Humanity?