Safety for children

Safety for children in INS detention

If you care about the well-being of children, the Presbyterian Washington Office invites you to join in ...

A national call-in day to protect unaccompanied children in INS detention on Tues. February 26, 2002 1pm-4pm Eastern Time

[2-20-02]

In 2001, the Immigration and Naturalization Service detained over 4,500 unaccompanied minors. Last year the youngest child detained was under two years old. These children have often fled horrendous persecution to arrive in the United States and be placed behind bars without legal assistance. Children are the world's most precious resource. Please help to assure that unaccompanied minors are cared for in a loving, caring, and nurturing environment and given legal assistance.

When do I call:
On Tuesday, February 26, 2002, make the switchboards of Capitol Hill light up!
From 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) call your senators at the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-2131and let them know you support S121: The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act.

What am I calling about:
S121: THE UNACCOMPANIED ALIEN CHILD PROTECTION ACT.
The act, introduced by Senators Feinstein, Graham, Kennedy, and Chaffee, will protect unaccompanied children and provide assistance to them by:

	Establishing the Office of Children's Services--an agency within the Department of Justice responsible for custodial care of children with no direct interest in the adjudication. This would streamline INS procedures by enabling the INS to focus on law enforcement objectives, such as securing removal or release of children.
	Requiring whenever possible family reunification or other appropriate placement for unaccompanied alien children and expanding shelter care facilities and foster care programs in which children receive services appropriate for their age and circumstances
	Developing a corps of child welfare professionals to ct as guardians ad litem (friend of the child) and to make recommendations-regarding custody, detention, release, and removal-based upon the base interests of each child.
	Establishing an age determination system that enables unaccompanied alien children to present various forms of evidence proving their age, including an appeal procedure for adverse findings.
	Ensure adequate legal representation for unaccompanied alien children through pro bono legal services or if necessary, through appointed counsel.

Advocate for these children by calling your Senators on Tuesday, February 26, 2002!

Why should I call:
The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) detain unaccompanied children, who arrive in the United States in need of safety, asylum and protection. Statistics show that at least 470 children are detained in juvenile shelters, secure detention centers, and other institutional settings every day. There will be close to 5000 children detained over 72 hours this year - hundreds will be detained longer, for weeks, months, and sometimes over a year. These vulnerable children range in age from as young as 18-months to 17 years old.

Consider the story of Juan. After losing his entire family to the war in Guatemala, sixteen years-old "Juan" made his way on foot to the United States in search of safety and freedom. In early 2001, the INS arrested Juan in the fields of Washington State where he was employed as a farm worker to survive. He was detained in a juvenile jail, commingled with delinquents even though he had no criminal record. Juan was not given the right to government-appointed counsel, and he was forced to represent himself in his claim for asylum before the Immigration Court. He lost his asylum case and was ordered deported to his country.

The 205th General Assembly (1993) envisions a world for Children and the Church: "*where all children can find a safe place; where all ages, races, genders, creed and abilities are recognized, valued, and celebrated; where all adult hear the voices of children and speak with as well as for them; where all children have "first call" on the world's resources and first place in the minds and hearts of the world's adults*"

How do I call-in:
Call the Capitol switchboard at 202/224-2131 on Tuesday, February 26, during the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and ask to talk to your Senators.

Note: The following instructions ask you to repeat the reason you are calling several times. This may seem redundant, but in fact, it alerts the government on several levels about your concern.

	If possible, call between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
	Give your name and state that you are calling to ask for your senator's co-sponsorship and support of S121, The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act. Give the name of your senators' and ask for the numbers for their offices. If you don't know your senator's full name, visit www.senate.gov. You can access your senator's information by the name of your state.
	When you reach the senators' offices, state your name and that you are calling to ask for the senator's co-sponsorship and support of S121, The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act.
	Ask to speak to staff member working on immigration issues.
	When you speak to that person or are put in his or her voice mail, give your name and state that you are requesting that the senator cosponsor and support S121, The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act. State that you feel it is an injustice for the care of these children to be in the hands of the Immigration and Naturalization Service without appointed legal counsel or a guardian ad litem.
	Also, ask that he or she follow up on your call by calling you to let you know the senator's decision.
	Let that person know that there will be a Senate hearing on this bill on February 28, 2002 at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen, Room 226. Senator Edward Kennedy will preside. Ask that he or she and the senator attend.
	Leave your name, city of residence, and phone number.
	If you do not hear from the immigration aide by March 4, 2002, call and ask what action the senator has taking and whether there was office representation at the hearing on February 26, 2002.

Please do not neglect to make the follow-up call. Children's lives truly depend on your perseverance in getting S121, The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act passed.

What else can I do:

	Call your Senator's local office to schedule a meeting with the immigration staff member between February 20 and February 27, 2002 -- Local office numbers can be found in your local phone book.
	Ask your senator to submit an inquiry to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) requesting information on the detention of unaccompanied minors in your area. This includes information on number of children detained, the age of the children, and the country of origins of children detained by the INS.
	Participate in the Paper Doll Chain for Justice, by contributing a link to a national chain to be presented to the Senate at the hearing on February 28, 2002. Go to http://www.lirs.org/DonateServe/advocate/Unaccompanied/PaperDoll.htm.
	For more information on S.121 or other immigration related issues, please contact Jenny Lin, JLIN@ctr.pcusa.org or 202-543-1126

To learn more about Jenny Lin, who is a Witherspoon/Semper Reformanda intern serving in the Washington Office, see her own recent report on her experience.