With increasing numbers of unaccompanied children and families fleeing danger and arriving at the U.S. southern border, the Administration last week redoubled its efforts to close our country’s doors to the most vulnerable, cutting millions of dollars in aid to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
In addition to threatening to cut off funds to Central America, the Administration asked Congress to immediately eliminate protections for unaccompanied children, allowing the government to quickly return children to harmful and dangerous situations in Central America – which is prohibited under the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). Contrary to the Administration’s claims, these actions would do nothing to stop children from coming to the U.S. – but would instead trap thousands in life-threatening situations.
Children continue to face extreme threats to their lives in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras – countries that are among the world’s most dangerous. Gangs and criminal organizations frequently target children for forced recruitment, sexual and gender-based violence, extortion, and human trafficking. For many children, even leaving their houses poses grave risks..
Quickly returning children seeking safety back to their home countries without a fair chance to make their case for U.S. protection – as the Administration could do if the TVPRA is amended – would mean sending children back to harm and even death.
Far from increasing children’s safety by deterring them from undertaking dangerous journeys, the changes proposed by the Administration would instead cruelly require children to make these journeys – and risk violence, exploitation, sexual assault and rape, and other harm – repeatedly in search of the protection they need and deserve. As many children have said to KIND, their choice was, “flee or die.”
Please let your Representatives and Senators know that Congress got it right when it created the TVPRA’s critical protections for children alone in our immigration system – and to stand strong against the Administration’s cruel attacks on both these children and the law that protects them.
Click here to enter in your address and find your representative. The tool will then provide you with their phone numbers, please call them and say:
Hello, my name is XX and I am from XX. I’m calling to share my concern about the Administration’s request that Congress change the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) to let the government return unaccompanied children to Central America.
Children face extreme gang violence, human trafficking or even death in the region. Our government must do everything it can to make sure that no child is ever returned to harm. Congress got it right when it unanimously passed the TVPA to make sure that children alone in our immigration system have a fair chance to tell their stories and to seek protection.
I’m asking Representative/Senator ___ to protect children in need and the TVPA by standing strong against the Administration’s latest attacks.