MCA statement regarding family separation at the US border
Jun 19 2018 20:44
Earlier this month the Maine Children’s Alliance (MCA) joined with 540 organizations from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to urgently request that the Administration reverse course on its practice of separating families at the border. With eight other Maine-based organizations, MCA signed onto a letter
calling upon Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to end the harmful and inhumane practice of separating immigrant children from their parents.
“Children who are crossing the border with their parents, seeking asylum from the violence and persecution in their home countries, should not be separated from their families,” said MCA executive director Claire Berkowitz. “As the letter states, the separation of children from their parents to deter migration, or to punish migration, will have significant and long-lasting consequences for the safety, health, development, and well-being of children. It must end today.”
MCA agrees with former First Lady, Laura Bush, when she said
, “…this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.”
We call upon Maine’s congressional delegation to support legislation to end this practice. Senator King is a co-sponsor of the Keep Families Together Act
in the Senate, while Representative Pingree is a co-sponsor of the House version of the same bill. While we are encouraged by statements made by Senator Collins’ and Representative Poliquin regarding their opposition to the family separation policy, we urge them to join with their colleagues and support legislation that will end this traumatizing practice.
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