A sad Mother’s Day in detention centers

We cherish our mothers, their love, care, guidance and example. Mother’s Day is that special day we set aside to honor them. Mothers everywhere deserve love, gratitude and devotion.

Sadly though, immigrant mothers and their children, many who are our neighblors are locked in detention by the hundreds. The same care, gratitude and devotion will not be able to be celebrated on Mother’s Day this May for them. Instead, there are reports, like the study done by KINO Border initiative, that show a horrific reality and a lack of oversight for these centers.

The government has chosen to shut down, according to the KINO report, the very agencies appointed by Congress to hold oversight over detention centers. After complaints that that was unlawful, a very minimal staff was placed but totally unable to do the work needed. The result? An increased misuse of force, inadequate food and sanitation, denial of medical care, including for pregnant and lactating mothers and children. As of April 4 there were 60,311 folks in detention centers. As of April 6, 6200 were children, according to the Marshall Project.

President Trump’s goal: 10,000 to be locked up.

His administration, through the “Big, beautiful bill”, has chosen , besides giving tax breaks to the richest citizens, to increase huge amounts of money to ICE (not to mention denying healthcare and increasing daily costs of living for all who need it.)

We citizens can find ways to right these wrongs. There are many organizations that are raising their voices about these detention centers, a disgrace to our country’s values. We may have differences about many things, but we all deserve basic human care and respect. We can speak up too and be the voice for the suffering voiceless.

Sister Kristine Vorenkamp

Des Plaines