Families Belong Together: Here is How You Can Help Stop Family Separation

Seeking asylum is not illegal. Here are some things that are illegal:

• Committing human rights abuses on children.
• Treating children like criminals.
• Stripping children of their voices, their agency and their protection.

Since April 2018, over 2,000 innocent children – some as young as 18-months – have been separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border and consequently stripped of their voices, their rights, but most of all the only love and protection they have right now. These families and children have already suffered greatly to escape the horrors of their native land. As we strive to build our own families and be the best mamas and papas we can be, we cannot look away at this atrocity happening right here, right now. No matter your political affiliation, all children deserve better than this nightmare. Read below for ways that you can help.

How to Help

Donate Directly to the Children:

If you’d like to donate directly to the children in need, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and Baby2Baby have set up a registry at Target for items like diapers, soap, formula and some essential clothing items. But according to most charities, the most impactful way to help is through financial donations to well-vetted organizations that provide humanitarian aid to immigrant families, rather than product donations. See how to donate to these organizations below.

Donate to Humanitarian Organizations:

The website Families Belong Together lists the following well-vetted organizations that directly help immigrant families in need.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras
Pueblo Sin Fronteras provides humanitarian aid to migrants and refugees.
website | donate

Al Otro Lado
Al Otro Lado is a bi-national, direct legal services organization serving indigent deportees, migrants, and refugees in Tijuana, Mexico.
website | donate

The Florence Project
The Florence Project provides free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in immigration custody in Arizona.
website | donate

Border Angels
Border Angels serves San Diego County’s immigrant population through various migrant outreach programs such as Day Laborer outreach, a free legal assistance program, and more.
website | donate

RAICES
RAICES provides free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees in Texas.
website | donate

Tahirih Justice Center
Tahirih Justice Center is a national, multi-city organization providing a broad range of direct legal services, policy advocacy, and training and education to protect immigrant women and girls fleeing gender-based violence.
website | donate

KIND (Kids In Need of Defense)
KIND staff + pro bono attorney partners at law firms, corporations, and law schools nationwide represent unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children in their deportation proceedings.
website | donate

Call Your Representatives:

Calling government officials can feel like a daunting task. But if you follow these two simple steps, this process can be quick and easy:

1. Find out who your local representatives are by checking out this website here.
2. Once connected, read directly from this script: “Hi, my name is [YOUR NAME] and my zip code is [YOUR ZIP]. I’m urging the Senator to denounce Trump’s family separation policy and use all of Congress’ authority to stop it.” 

For variations on this script and more ideas on how to get your message across in a polite but impactful manner, go here.

Protest

On June 30, the organization Families Belong Together holding its biggest protest in Washington, DC. On that day, coordinated protests will be held around the country.  To find marches near you, search your zip code here.

Share on Social Media

Share the #FamiliesBelongTogether message on social media with this digital toolkit  or simply repost, retweet or craft your own message to take action against this humanitarian crisis.

Have any more ideas or resources to share? Leave in the comment section below!