Updated ways to support immigrant and refugee families

As we reach the holiday season, we hope you will take some time to reach out to Congress in support of other families in need.

Over the past year, we've heard reports of horrific conditions in shelters where unaccompanied children were held.. In August 2019, the government announced they had no plans to give the flu shot at border detention camps - despite the deaths of at least three children from the flu while in custody. In October, we learned that 1500+ additional migrant children were separated at the border in the United States. 207 of the children were under the age of 5. We've now reached a record number of children detained, plus an over 50% increase in the number of pregnant women detained.

Even when they aren't separated from their children, whole families remain in detention, with the Administration currently appealing a decision that would enforce a 20-day time limit on family detentions. This type of long-term detention is shown to lead to stress and long-term effects on children.

We must work with Congress now to stop family separations and family detentions, which are leading to immediate and long-term trauma for children. Please take action today to help end this practice.

Take Action:

• Call your Senator and Representative at 202-224-3121 and ask them to stop family separation and family detention
• Take action with Protecting Immigrant Families
• Submit a comment on the public charge form
• Submit a comment on the increased fees for asylum and naturalization
• Share Know Your Rights materials
• Attend a showing of "Las Madres de Berks" to learn about conditions in a family detention facility in Pennsylvania
• Join Shut Down Berks to take action in shutting down the facility