Pages

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Where Are The Unaccounted For 1,500 Migrant Children?

Miriam, a citizen and national of Honduras, gave birth to her only child just under two years ago. She had the intention of leaving the country to seek protection of government violence, fleeing after the military teargassed her home. When she, her sister, brother-in-law and their two children reached the international bridge of Brownsville, Texas, they told immigration officers that they needed asylum. 

Instead of receiving the treatment or care they deserved, agents separated Miriam from her 18-month old son. She hasn't seen him since February and is anxiously awaiting to reunite with him soon. 

"The immigration officers made me walk out with my son to a government vehicle and place my son in the back seat," Miriam said. "My son was crying as I put him in the seat. I didn't even have the chance to comfort him as the door was slammed shut as soon as he was in the seat. I was crying too. I cry even now when I think about that moment."

Miriam's statement was taken from a federal document revived from MSNBC political host Chris Hayes, following the public outcry that the federal government has misplaced or lost nearly 1,500 undocumented migrant children from Mexico and Central America. 

The conservation began when the New York Times reported that a top official within the Department of Health and Human Services told congress about the missing children. It's the department's responsibility to find the children a place to stay after they are taken into custody. 

But of the 7,000-plus children placed with sponsored individuals last year, the agency did not know where 1,475 of them were. What this means is not only is the federal government punishing the immigrants for entering the United States illegally by ripping their children away from them, 21 percent of them are lost. 

It's term "lost" is probably putting it lightly as knowing how harsh and belligerent President Trump's administration is when dealing with immigration, I'll assume that the negligence and abuse those children faced and are currently dealing with right now while not being with their family is a sign of things to come. 

What surprises me about all this is the public outrage isn't as large on social media and television as expected. In 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped 276 girls in Nigeria and the world was pisses. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency "lost" 1,500 children in America and nothing close to the reaction four years ago is seen now.

Human rights violations are being committed in this country and accountability needs to take place.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment