Many US children will spend this holiday season without a parent. Why? Because they have a parent who isn’t a US citizen and has been deported. From 2010-2012 about 23% of those deported were parents of US citizens. More than 200,000 parents were sent away in the last two years despite having no criminal history. These immigrants came here in search of a better life for themselves and their families; but our broken immigration system favors ripping families apart instead of creating a path to citizenship.
The children of deportees are either placed in foster care, return to their parent’s native country, or grow up in the care of one parent or with relatives. The Fair Immigration Reform Movement recently launched the Keeping Families Together campaign. This campaign will lift the stories of families torn apart and emphasize our need to move towards humane immigration reform. Our government shouldn’t be breaking families and activists hope the President and Congress will keep this in mind while they work toward reforming immigration in 2013.
Has your family been broken apart by our failing immigration system? Share your story here.