Keeping Families Together

On April 6, 2018, the Trump Administration announced a “zero-tolerance” policy mandating criminal prosecution of every immigrant crossing the U.S.-Mexico border with zero discretion, even for those legally seeking asylum. Despite false claims from President Trump and other cabinet officials, this Administration has the authority to keep families together – just as other Republican and Democratic presidential administrations have done in the past. The policy has resulted in more than 2,300 children being separated from their families before President Trump signed an executive order on June 20, 2018 to stop the practice of separating immigrant families, though the Administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy remains in effect. It's important to ensure families are not being detained indefinitely and the Administration is held accountable for their actions and treatment of all people. On June 27, 2018, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reunite all children with their parents within 30 days or 15 days for children under the age of five.

Ed is doing everything he can to ensure this practice ceases, that children are properly cared for, and families are reunited as quickly and safely as possible.

Legislation:
 - Original cosponsor of H.R. 6135, the Keep Families Together Act which would restrict the prosecution of parents seeking asylum as they flee violence, establishes a preference for family unity, requires all CBP officers and agents to complete child welfare training on an annual basis, and requires DHS to develop policies allowing parents and children to locate each other and reunite if they have been separated
 - Cosponsor of H. Res 927, Condeming the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance Policy which condemns the Trump Administration's zero tolerance policy that is separating children from their parents at the U.S. border
 - Cosponsor of H.R. 858, the DREAMers, Immigration, and Refugees (DIRe) Legal Act which would provide funding for nonprofits to give legal assistance to children and families impacted by President Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy
 - Cosponsor of H.R. 6236, the Family Unity Rights and Protection Act which would require the reunification of families as soon as possible as well as require parental notification regarding the process for the return of their children and establish a family registry to aid in the reunification process
 - Cosponsor of H.R. 2043 the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2017 which ensures that no child will have to face court alone by providing attorneys to all unaccompanied children for the duration of their immigration proceedings

Letters:
 - Letter to request language in FY2019 appropriations bill to make it clear no congressional funding or support will be used to carry out the cruel policy of family separation 
 - Letter to HHS and DHS citing concerns about the family separation policy and asking for information about the number of children who have been separated from their parents, the whereabouts and well-being of the more than 2,300 children separated from their families, and the processes and timeline for the reunification of children with their families, among others
 - Letter to DHS and HHS asking how much is being spent on Trump’s family separation policy from tax dollars
 - Letter to ORR about resources for and the care of the migrant children and asking about their role in the reunification process
 - Letter to Attorney General Sessions, HHS and DHS asking for an explanation of the steps the Administration plans to take to comply with the federal district court ruling ordering the reunification of families within 15 or 30 days depending on the age of the child

Support and Resources for Kids and Families Impacted

We Belong Together - women for common sense immigration policies
https://www.webelongtogether.org/

United We Dream - the largest immigrant youth-led network in the country
https://unitedwedream.org/

Women's Refugee Commission - advocating for the rights and protection of women, children, and youth fleeing violence and persecution
https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/

ACLU - fighting attacks through the legal system
http://www.aclu.org

Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) - protecting unaccompanied children who enter the US immigration system alone to ensure that no child appears in court without an attorney.
https://supportkind.org/

Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project - providing asylum seekers with legal aid and community support across the country
https://asylumadvocacy.org/

Human Rights First - helping refugees obtain asylum in the U.S.
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/

Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition – statewide, membership-based coalition of immigrant, faith, labor, youth, community, business and ally organizations founded in 2002 to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees by making Colorado a more welcoming, immigrant-friendly state.
http://coloradoimmigrant.org/

La Union del Pueblo Entero - founded by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, a community union that works in the Rio Grande Valley from the grassroots up
https://lupenet.org/

Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network – provides free immigration legal services to immigrant children and to adults in immigration detention
https://www.rmian.org/

American Friends and Service Committee Colorado- holds dinners to support people who have loved ones that are deported and/or currently detained, among other services
https://www.afsc.org/office/denver-co

Casa de la Paz - a local nonprofit for those released from immigration detention offering housing, meals, visits and transportation to families
www.casadepazcolorado.org/