Respectfully, we must do our best not to become offended by this conversation. This conversation shames us all. We don't like to feel this way. Moreover, we cannot possibility have all the correct words to describe what is happening to these children. Remember nothing can solved if we cannot talk about it. Focus on solutions. We can agree our systemically, unjust immigration system promotes migration based on all the "goodies" available to these children and their cartel families. Screening "families" through interviews and blood tests should not be set aside because of the volume of migrants. Or some kind of delusion of violating people's rights. Many of these children have been kidnapped, what about their rights?
The best policy always focuses on the children.HHS runs the
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program. This program provides migrant children with:
"Programs focus on the safety, education, well-being, and self-sufficiency of minors in their care. Services are based on state child welfare requirements and ORR regulations and policies".
Programs may provide:
- Indirect financial support for housing, food, clothing and other necessities
- Intensive case management services by social workers
- English language training and education
- Independent living skill development
- Educational Training Vouchers
- Health, dental, and mental health care
- Job training and career development skills
- Cultural orientation and social integration
- Preservation of ethnic and religious heritage
- Safety planning
- Coordination of immigration assistance
- Family tracing and reunification
Most families living on the edge of poverty, most middle class children, here in America do not have these benefits. There is no nation on the planet that offers all these goodies. In fact, most nations you must prove you will not use social services, that you have a marketable skill, and can self sustain. Although we are paying
$60 million a week for these programs, it is clear that HHS does not have enough facilities and people to deliver care at this level.
1. We need to hold HHS accountable. This is a tremendous investment. Shine some light on where the money is going. I believe it is called, "transparency".
2. We need policy makers to urgently work and finally pass comprehensive immigrant reform. Many thinktanks and multiple administrations have put forth solutions (see below). Yet Congress is unable to act. For decades failed to act. Why? Demand Congress stops using the lives of these children as a political ploy. We talk about wanting a fair and just America... Lets start here.
3. Prosecute criminal activity. Not the people trafficked across the border. Rather, prosecute American businesses, American organized crime, Cartels, Media, politicians and law enforcement on the take. We don't need more laws, we need to enforce our laws. This is not a banana republic.
These shameful practices have gone on too long, at the benefit of the Cartels and organized crime.
Finding the right solutions requires asking new questions. If you ask the right questions, you will create the right solution. This is the reason organizations really need diversity of thought and experience. Often the best solutions are presented through the "outliers" - those folks not typically invited to the conversation - people who think and react differently than you.
There is outrageous levels of funding at Universities and "Thinktanks" to find solutions to mass migrations across the globe. If you google it, you will be astounded at the number of publications, articles, research papers, statements of intent, on and on.
WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE? • Center for Immigration Studies:
https://cis.org/• U.S. Customs & Border Protection - by the numbers:
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2021-Apr/cbp-snapshot-mar-2021.pdf• U.S. Customs & Border Projection - Southwest Border Crossings Multi-Year Comparison:
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/southwest-land-border-encounters• Migration Policy Institute (thinktank):
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/about/about-migration-policy-institute• Migration Studies at:
Oxford UniversityUniversity of San DiegoUniversity of Sweden at LinkopingLondon School of Economics and Political ScienceUniversity of LondonUniversity of Spain at BarcelonaGeorge Mason UniversityHarvardAre we to believe that all of these entities have no great ideas? Yep, nothing to see here. Apparently Congress believes this to be true... immigration is just too tough a nut to crack, blah, blah, blah. How long will we accept these excuses for Congress not doing their jobs?
How about Congress spending less time investigating each other? How about Congress taking up less air time with the talking heads Media?
Imagine with all this new found free time Congress could investigate solutions at hand. I am sure the Immigration PhD's would be happy and pleased to offer their services. Clearly we have enough House staff members on the payroll:
House Judiciary Committee on ImmigrationHouse Judiciary Committee on Immigration and CitizenshipHouse Homeland Security Committee on Border Security------------------------------
Mary Ann Biermeier, M.Ed.
Phoenix, Arizona
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-21-2021 11:57 AM
From: Lindsay Bell-Martinson
Subject: Cruel Treatment of Children at Our Borders: Where is the Outrage?
"Unfortunately, many people in our country do not see these babies, young children, and teens as "one of us" - humans deserving of our empathy and understanding. They are seen as "the other," just as the folks who left their homes in the 1930s due to the Depression and the dust bowl were seen."
Those are some blanket statements that people could seriously be offended by. I thought we were trying to stop offending people. You're a Ph.D. Please, share with us where you find the information to support the claims above...I want to learn what I can. But remember, we are addressing current concerns over the lack of outrage considering what is happening to children on their way to, at, and now over the border today.
(And is there a more equitable name that you suggest we use for children who don't have their parents with them? Unaccompanied Minors means children traveling alone, correct, even in airlines?)
(And please, if time allows, further clarify how opinion on our current immigration concerns relate to those of Depression-Era movement?)
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Lindsay
Billings, MT
Original Message:
Sent: 06-20-2021 07:30 AM
From: Nora Krieger
Subject: Cruel Treatment of Children at Our Borders: Where is the Outrage?
For a long time, I think that the TV news media and print media have been highlighting as much as they can about the situation at the border for young children and teens who are being held. Unfortunately, many people in our country do not see these babies, young children, and teens as "one of us" - humans deserving of our empathy and understanding. They are seen as "the other," just as the folks who left their homes in the 1930s due to the Depression and the dust bowl were seen. When officials in the last administration decided that the folks at the border were not "humans", not like us, then taking children and separating them from their parents became easy and because they were not viewed as human, records of where these young children were sent have been very hard to ascertain.
Labeling these children as unaccompanied minors or illegal aliens or criminals as has been done in the recent past takes away their humanity.
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Nora Krieger, PhD
Associate Professor Emerita/Past Chair NJEEPRE
Bloomfield College/NJ Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
Highland Park, NJ
Original Message:
Sent: 06-19-2021 04:51 AM
From: Lindsay Bell-Martinson
Subject: Cruel Treatment of Children at Our Borders: Where is the Outrage?
I don't want to get too political; neither the Right nor the Left can claim a moral high-ground, if for no other reason than we'd not be able to agree on a definition of what it means...
The news media has been one major source of disappointment. I think more investigative journalism is needed to tell the country about the children at our border. We need to see their faces, understand their stories, and have some semblance of a clue as to the future they'll meet with. What is becoming of these kids? What have they endured to get here? What is it like for them after crossing? If alone, what/who is taking them? It makes me angry to type this and not know. We're being kept in the dark and we desperately NEED to be part of this. When will NBC or ABC open the border up to US -- the American people?
Once we're all allowed to SEE the SAME situation for what it is, and once we can SEE little faces instead of hearing the word "unaccompanied minors" (found alone...dropped over wall...rescued from smugglers), I think (hope) things will change, for the sake of these kids. As a county we need to prepare for them -- together. I don't say this as a signal that I condone or encourage illegal and dangerous border crossings, which I do not, but we know enough to know the damage has been done, something isn't right, and enough is enough. We need to know the TRUTH.
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Lindsay
Billings MT
Original Message:
Sent: 06-07-2021 12:50 PM
From: Mary Biermeier
Subject: Cruel Treatment of Children at Our Borders: Where is the Outrage?
Every child has a right to safety, protection and a future, regardless of who they are or where they're from. Yet open boarders has placed many of these children in the harmful and unsafe Federal "shelters".
Words are not enough. We must act to make sure these children are safe, are united with family or placed in foster care. There is no policy, no programs in place to handle the current volume. Instead, children are living like sardines, in filthy conditions. These children are living without proper food, medical care, and most importantly without human kindness.... at cost of $60 million per week. Apparently a lot of money can be made housing immigrant children.
Despite Americans UNITED CALL for IMMIGRATION REFORM - no president, no administration, no Congress has seriously taken action. All that remains are soundbites.
These children are not cattle.
These children are not the next slave culture.
Where is the Outrage?
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Mary Ann Biermeier, M.Ed.
Phoenix, Arizona
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