Authors: Daniella Burgi-Palomino, Emma Buckhout
Imagine being woken up at 5am by screaming agents and then carried away from the rest of your family to a detention center in south Texas. Your hopes of finding home and protection in the U.S. – destroyed. Well, that’s how over a hundred Central American families and children began 2016. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived at their doors to arrest and deport them as part of a series of new raids announced by the Obama administration that will target Central American families. Advocates have told us that the first families are already being deported back to Central America this week, so we need to speak out NOW. |
We know that these families will be returned to the very danger they were fleeing in the first place, including rape, torture, and murder. Many of these parents, teens, and even children, had received threats against their lives, and have real asylum claims that led them to leave their homes and make the journey to ask for protection here. But their pleas weren’t heard or weren’t considered worthy. And now they’re being sent back in the worst way possible.
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said that the raids would be carried out with “decency, fairness, and humanity,” and that they would continue. However, we refuse to accept that sending families and children to the very dangers they fled is humane or appropriate.
We need you to speak out now to make these raids stop. These actions are indecent, unfair, and inhumane and these families and children deserve better from us.
Call the White House Comment Line directly TODAY at 1-888-907-2053.
See the following sample script:
Hello, I am [your name] from [city, state, community] calling to urge President Obama to speak out immediately and order the Department of Homeland Security to stop these raids and deportations of Central American children and families fleeing violence. Children and families fleeing for their lives must be protected and have access to legal counsel so that they can apply for asylum and protection in the United States.
Stay informed on our updates via our Facebook page and .
Keep up the pressure on social media! Suggested tweets:
.@POTUS & @DHSgov: STOP raids to deport Central American children and families who need PROTECTION. #Not1More
.@POTUS, children & families fleeing violence & poverty in Central America deserve protection, not deportation back to danger. #Not1More
