Recently, disturbing reports have come out regarding Trump Administration’s treatment of migrants who are attempting to obtain asylum in the United States. According to the New York Times, hundreds of young children, many of whom are infants, have been separated from their families at the southern border.
Reporters at the New York Times reviewed data from the Office of Refugee Resettlement. They found that this data indicated that more than 700 young children have been separated from their parents at the border between October of 2017 and April of 2018. At least 100 of those children were under the age of four. This is an immense tragedy. Separating families is a fundamentally immoral policy that not only accomplishes nothing, but also inflicts enormous trauma on innocent families.
The global community has taken notice of the awful conduct of the Trump Administration at the U.S.-Mexico border. On June 5th, 2018, the United Nations Human Rights Office released a statement condemning the conduct of the United States. The UN noted that separating extremely young children from their families “always constitutes a child rights violation”.
Debunking the Myths: It is Wholly Lawful to Seek Asylum in the United States
One of the most pervasive and destructive myths that is currently being perpetuated by the Trump Administration and other immigration hardliners is that migrant families who are coming to our southern border are doing something wrong; that they are violating U.S. immigration law in some manner and therefore that detainment is appropriate. This is false: every person has the legal right to petition the United States for asylum.
Indeed, the United States government has a duty under federal law to allow qualified applicants to seek asylum at official U.S. border entry points. Many of the young families that are coming to our border are fleeing horrendous violence. In some cases, they are even fleeing direct threats against their life from drug cartels and other criminal enterprises in their own countries. Other migrants are facing abuse from foreign governments.
Asylum Seekers are Owed Better, More Humane Treatment
As reported by ReliefWeb, the majority of asylum seekers are currently coming from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, three countries that have experienced enormous levels of violence. It must be remembered that those who are fleeing violence and oppression may have a valid claim for legal asylum in the United States. They are exercising their rights under U.S. immigration regulations. They should not be punished and their family should absolutely never be torn apart while they are attempting to seek safety.
We Protect Immigrant Rights in Southern California
At the Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our law firm is dedicated to fighting for the legal rights of immigrants and their family members. If you need immigration law assistance, please call us today for a confidential review of your legal case. With an office in Los Angeles, we handle immigration law cases all over Southern California, including in East Los Angeles, Montebello, Huntington Park, South Gate, and Pico Rivera.
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