Law would protect immigrant children

The saga of innocent children being harmed by government policies continues. Children are witnessing their parents being forcefully carted away and put in detention. These children are being left at the mercy of administrators who decide where to place them— often in foster care or juvenile detention.

The trauma continues when the children are not able to communicate with their detained parents. Pediatricians have observed that the separations affect children’s physical and emotional health. The parents have no access to the courts and agencies that are making decisions on the care for their children.

A proposed law known as the HELP (Humane Enforcement and Legal Protections) Act. was introduced in the Senate Judiciary Committee in April. It would restore some basic levels of dignity to families and protect the welfare of children whose parents or caregivers are detained or deported.

This law would allow parents and children to call each other and allow children to visit their parents in detention. It would establish guidelines to maintain family unity; allow parents to participate in court proceedings affecting their children; and ensure that parents can make childcare arrangements. ICE would be required to consider the best interests of children when their parents are being detained, released or transferred.

The American Academy of Pediatrics supports this law. Their stance is that immigration policies must prioritize the health, safety and well-being of children, and that parents should be making the decisions about their children’s care. Many immigration justice organizations also support this law.

We applaud Sen. Tammy Duckworth for cosponsoring this bill. It needs more cosponsors to have a chance of being passed by Congress. Your senators and representatives need to hear from you. Ask them to cosponsor the bill, bring it to a vote, and approve it.

Chris Chason, Schaumburg

Liz Gallichio, Des Plaines