In an attempt to deter undocumented immigrants from entering the United States, the Trump Administration callously ripped children away from parents at the border. But after outrage and protests, Trump signed an executive order to stop the practice. While it means that children and parents – mostly Central American asylum seekers who have already been through immense obstacles – will be allowed to stay together, it doesn’t mean that the fight is over. That’s why a coalition of organizations – which planned nationwide protests on June 30 – will move forward with the demonstrations.
“The executive order that Donald Trump signed [June 20] is not a solution to the crisis created by his administration; it keeps kids imprisoned indefinitely, and doesn’t reunite thousands of separated families,” the organizations said in a statement. “But it does show the administration is reacting to public pressure, so we will continue to increase our pressure for justice at hundreds of events on Saturday, June 30, to say that families belong together – and free.”
The executive order does not address the fate of the more than 2,000 kids already separated from their moms and dads. It also doesn’t end the “zero-tolerance” policy, as the administration still intends to criminally prosecute anyone – including asylum seekers – who enters the country without documentation. And it seeks indefinite detention, which goes against the 1997 Flores settlement. The Trump Administration has blamed the Flores settlement as the reason for splitting parents and children at the border. Currently, under Flores v. Reno, the government must “place each detained minor in the least restrictive setting appropriate,” meaning it has to release children “accompanied” by parents within 20 days, according to Vox.
This vulnerable community needs our help, and one way to show solidarity is to attend one of the protests. The #FamiliesBelongTogether march, sponsored by the National Domestic Workers Alliance and MoveON, will take place in Washington DC in Lafayette Square at 11 a.m., but there are many more across the country. To find one near you, visit Move On.