On the anniversary of the Biden administration taking office, the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights held a webinar to discuss the administration’s approach to immigration policy and the organization’s strategy for making real gains in our fight for immigrant children’s rights. After four years of constant attacks on the rights of immigrant children and families, the Biden administration promised a “humane, modern, and dignified” immigration system. But the administration has failed to deliver on that promise, and continued Trump-era policies that place families and children in harm’s way. At the webinar, experts from the Young Center and the Sidewalk School for Asylum Seekers talked about the impact of policies on children and families, and shared tangible ways in which people around the country can take action to improve conditions and policies impacting immigrant children.

Felicia Rangel-Samponaro, Founder and Co-Director of the Sidewalk School for Asylum Seekers, spoke about her organization’s work to serve families trapped in unsafe conditions across the United States’ southern border. Since 2019, the Sidewalk School has worked in nine cities across Mexico to serve children and families as they wait for a chance to seek protection in the United States. Through education, basic medical services, and regular aid distribution, the Sidewalk School is filling a gap that has been created by cruel anti-immigration policies that have forced families to live in makeshift encampments. Working in Reynosa, Felicia witnesses the harmful impact of policies like Title 42 and Remain in Mexico daily.

“We have over 2,000 asylum-seekers living inside the Reynosa encampment. The separation of families still occurs at a very high rate. Whereas Trump was openly separating children from their parents, Biden is doing it in a different way. If a family seeks safety at our borders, they are turned away immediately under Title 42, however unaccompanied children can come in by themselves. This forces families into separation so that children can be safe.”

In addition to lack of resources like consistent access to hospitals, families in Reynosa face threats to their lives daily. “In Reynosa, kidnapping, that is a common daily occurrence that happens all the time. The fact is, when the gangs do come, they don't just take the parents, they take the entire family. Everyone gets kidnapped off that Plaza... I have seen the children once they have been released back into the Reynosa camp. These children don't talk, they stop talking. So, whatever they witness, it’s with them forever,” Felicia added.

Jane Liu, a Senior Litigation Attorney with the Young Center, discussed the extent of the harm caused by Title 42.

“The government has been expelling asylum-seekers at the border under Title 42 for almost two years now, and what we're talking about is over 1.2 million expulsions, over 1 million asylum-seekers who have not been able to seek protection at our border. Here at the Young Center, we regularly get appointed to a significant number of children who have been separated from their parents, caregivers, and family members because of Title 42. In addition to the harm and trauma of separation, that separation has additional consequences. It can make reunification and release from government custody much more challenging since family members are not in the United States. That can often mean that children are detained for prolonged periods of time. It's also extremely stressful and traumatic for kids to not know if their families members are safe in Mexico or their home country.”

In the face of these policies, Mary Miller Flowers, a Senior Policy Analyst for Child Protection for the Young Center, discussed some of the Young Center’s priorities for 2022.  

“On the policy front, there are no other top priorities for any of us then putting an end to Title 42 and Remain in Mexico policies. We want to also support the work of reunifying families and ensuring separated families have the chance to find permanency and the services they need to begin to heal in the United States.”

Among the Young Center’s other priorities is “expanding our advocacy on behalf of unaccompanied children with disabilities and mental health needs,” Jane added. “In particular, we're co-leading a couple of working groups that are bringing together partners in both the unaccompanied children and disability rights spaces, to increase collaboration across the movements.”

Speakers concluded their remarks with a call to action for those who care about immigrant children’s rights.

“I encourage you all to contact your local Congressperson and Senators about these issues. Send a letter. You can even do it through email, urging them to oppose both Title 42 and the Remain in Mexico policy. And even if they already oppose those policies, send a message expressing your support for their opposition. For those in states like Texas and Florida, we're also encouraging you to engage local politicians in challenging laws and policies in those states that specifically target migrants including unaccompanied children. We're really troubled by this, and we encourage you to engage your local politicians on pushing back against these policies,” Jane added.

Click here for a transcript of this webinar.