CRISIS AT THE BORDER

March 24, 2021

 – The influx of unaccompanied immigrant children arriving at the US-Mexico border is straining the existing systems for their care and again highlighting its glaring inadequacies. More than 5,000 children are being detained by border patrol in Donna, TX, many for over 10 days, they are packed in cages in a place that is built to hold 250. 

March 20, 2021, photos were provided by the Office of Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, and it shows detainees in a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) temporary overflow facility in Donna, Texas. Video Credits: The Hill. Photo Credits in the video: Office of Rep. Henry Cuellar

In February 9,500 children entered the country. As the annual spring migration season begins, children are expected to arrive in even greater numbers. Currently, there are 13,000 children in detention.

Hope Frye, Executive Director and Co-founder of Project Lifeline, has spent much of her career working with issues surrounding undocumented immigrant children. We had an opportunity to catch up when she visited the Wynter Immigration Law Academy (Academy) recently.

According to Frye, “While there are 13,500 beds available in the for-profit ORR shelters which regularly house children, because of Covid distancing requirements combined with the number of arriving kids, there simply isn’t enough space. For these reasons, the government is opening large influx centers including the housing of children at the Dallas and San Diego Convention Centers. The time has come to change the way we welcome children.”

During our Academy programs, Frye offered ideas for ways to receive children that lessens trauma and takes into account the vulnerabilities of the population. She suggests child-friendly reception centers at the border staffed by child welfare experts training in trauma-informed techniques. About 90% of children are ultimately released to family members. Frye says that children can quickly and safely be reunited with family at their first point of contact with the government at the border.

At the time of writing this article, more places to house large numbers of children are being investigated. Thousands of kids with parents ready to receive them remain locked down in border patrol baby jails alone and afraid.

There are so many unanswered questions about our treatment of immigrant children. But what we at the Academy know is that "CHILDREN ARE MORE THAN JUST A HEADLINE". As advocates, it’s our job to raise our voices to bring awareness to the problem. What actions can we take?

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Project Lifeline and Raise Your Voice https://projectlifeline.us

Catholic Charities Immigration Project and Respite Center, RGV

Sacred Heart Church, McAllen, Texas

Austin Border Relief

The Time is NOW...

Article Picture - Photo courtesy of the Office of Rep. Henry Cuellar

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• Attorney Dionnie Wynter Pfunde is the Managing Attorney of Wynter Law Practice. She is also the CEO and Founder of the Wynter Immigration Law Academy which is the largest immigration space on ClubHouse.

• Deidrre Edwards is a Junior at the University of South Florida. With a double major in Political Science and Africana Studies (pre-law track), she is preparing herself for law school.