Judge rules that families must be reunited. But there is more to do.

By MB -
Last night, a federal judge in California ordered that children separated from their parents as part of the zero-tolerance immigration policy be reunited with their families within 30 days. Children under five must be reunited even sooner, and all parents must be able to contact their children by phone within ten days.

This action is good, but the work of reuniting children and protecting families is far from over. You can find our previous posts on this topic here and here. For the latest on what we can do, see below.
  • Families Belong Together Rally. Rallies will be happening across the country on June 30. The main rally will be in DC, but you can learn about all rallies at familiesbelongtogether.org.
  • Contact your elected officials. Dial 202-224-3121 to reach any member of Congress. The American Immigration Lawyers Association has tools that you can use.
    • Here is a sample script: Hello, my name is _____ and as a constituent, I urge the _____ to use Congress' oversight authority to keep pressuring DHS and DOJ to end the cruel and reprehensible separation of families at the border, and the inhumane practice of family detention.
  • Donate. A number of organizations are doing important work on this issue, including the ACLU and the Women's Refugee Commission. The Texas Tribune put together a list here. Please be sure to research the organization you choose before you donate!
  • Take action on federal bills. The ACLU has a tool to take action on one of the immigration bills up for debate. 
  • Speak Up. Write a letter to the editor for your local newspaper to share your feelings about justice for immigrants and refugees. Social media is also an option - sample tweets are here, or you can follow #FamiliesBelongTogether and #KeepFamiliesTogether.
  • Act locally. Children and families aren't just detained at the border - some of the detentions are taking place right here in Pennsylvania. Follow the Campaign to Shut Down Berks for more information and to take action. This week, the campaign has posted 6 ways to take action and messages from incarcerated families.

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