SUMMARY
Families Remain Separated, Detained
Thousands of children remain separated from their families after President Trump issued an executive order last month asserting that his policies would “maintain family unity.”
Before the executive order, the Trump administration was separating families seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, which drew widespread criticism. The order itself suggests that the Trump administration wants to increase family incarceration, which could last for months or more, to replace family separation. And the administration has not answered how it will reunite separated families.
Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced last week that CBP has temporarily suspended referring immigrant parents crossing the U.S. border with their children for criminal prosecution, which, at least temporarily, will stop most new cases of family separation at the border. However, the suspension of separations does not retroactively affect those already separated — and it is unclear how the more than 2,000 children in detention centers as far away from the Southern border as Michigan and Maryland will be reunited with their parents.
A federal court last Tuesday ordered the government to reunite all separated children with their parents within 30 days, but concern is widespread over the absence of a specific plan by the Trump administration to reunite families.
The use of family detention in place of family separation has drawn concern from more than 50 law enforcement leaders, among others. The law enforcement officials signed a letter urging congressional leadership to consider alternatives to family detention, which have proved to be effective, more humane and more cost-effective.
Separately, thousands of protesters gathered across the country on Saturday to demand an end to family separations, family detention and the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy.
New Paper Highlights Immigrants in Law Enforcement
Ahead of July 4, a new paper released Friday highlights immigrants working in law enforcement, illustrating immigrants’ contributions to public safety in local communities across the country.
“Immigrants in Law Enforcement Contributing to Public Safety,” published by the Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force, profiles immigrants who are “using their life experiences, language skills, and drive to contribute to the communities where they live,” and includes the stories of ten immigrants across seven states who work in law enforcement.
The paper also underscores the importance of building community trust and ensuring that immigrants feel safe reporting crimes and working with local law enforcement without fear of deportation.
The full paper is available here.
LEGISLATIVE BULLETIN
Summary of immigration legislation introduced and government reports on immigration: https://forumtogether.org/article/legislative-bulletin-friday-june-29-2018/
MUST READS:
THE HILL (Acevedo and Prosser Op-Ed): Family detention is not the solution to family separation
By Art Acevedo and Mark Prosser
June 28, 2018
Like millions of Americans, we were shocked and saddened by the disturbing images and videos of young kids in cells and cages, separated from their mothers and fathers. As law enforcement leaders representing Houston, Texas, and Storm Lake, Iowa, we and many of our colleagues were especially appalled by a morally bankrupt and strategically misguided attempt to deter future migration.
And while both of us were somewhat relieved that President Trump reversed course and signed an executive order ending family separation policy, we are speaking out to make it crystal clear that family detention is not the solution to family separation.
We can — and we must — protect our communities while upholding America’s values. What is happening at the border is also spreading fear, confusion, and pressure in immigrant communities across our country, which is driving large numbers of our community members and neighbors deeper into the shadows. Read more
CNN: Thousands of kids haven’t been reunited with their parents. Protesters ask: Where are the children?
By Catherine E. Shoichet
June 29, 2018
That was the rallying cry at protests across the United States this week as a growing chorus of activists and attorneys accused the Trump administration of taking too long to reunite immigrant families.
It’s been more than a week since President Donald Trump signed an executive order claiming he’d put a stop to separating families at the border, and days since a judge ordered officials to halt the practice and reunite families that had been divided.
But since then, only a handful of children have been released from custody, according to the latest available statistics.
Devastated parents are still searching for their kids. Officials are pointing fingers over who’s responsible and have yet to release details about how families will be reunited.
Immigration attorneys and rights groups say that’s because officials still don’t have a plan to solve a crisis the government created. Read more
BUZZFEED: Trump Created An Office To Highlight Immigrant Crime. A Year Later, The Results Are Underwhelming.
By Vera Bergengruen
July 1, 2018
Since April of last year, six operators sitting at a call center in Laguna Niguel, California, have fielded an astonishing range of calls for 12 hours a day.
One caller asked to make a reservation at a Trump hotel. Another called to report that “a ‘coyote’ stole his cat.” Then there was the one who “requested to report Melania Trump, who is stealing caller’s taxpayer funds.” Another complained that “illegal aliens are going into her yard and taking food from her garden.”
Dozens of callers reported space aliens, some going into the details of what dates they were abducted by UFOs — all dutifully logged by the operators. Hundreds called to denounce ex-spouses, neighbors, and business rivals whom they suspected of being in the country illegally.
A much smaller number called to request information about the immigration status or the custody status of alleged criminals who are undocumented immigrants — the original purpose of the toll-free hotline. Read more
THE HILL (Ramadan Op-Ed): Family connection is crucial to America’s immigration system
By David Ramadan
June 29, 2018
Let’s start with the obvious. You won’t find many Ramadans — my last name — listed in a telephone book, but also consider that America wasn’t founded by folks whose names were all the same.
Nor did everyone who came to our nation’s shores in its first days share the same country of origin or economic standing or faith. But soon enough, those differences would become flashpoints of disagreement and fear, and sometimes death for those who dared to disagree.
Roger Williams would be banished from Massachusetts for challenging religious authority, only to become Rhode Island’s founder. Mary Dyer was a Puritan turned Quaker who would be hung for her beliefs. Of course, these two are hardly exceptions. Read more