First Friends: Need Your Assistance to House Accompanied Minors, including a 2 year old in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) custody !!!

With the continued influx of unaccompanied children crossing the borders, ORR and DHS are overwhelmed in providing services to many of them while communities are responding to this humanitarian crisis, wondering how they can be more of a help.

First Friends, has assisted 2 unaccompanied minors with release and assisted with transportation logistics to have them united with family members in Michigan and Texas. First Friends is currently working with an undocumented family member to establish the support for the release of a 14 and 16 year old held in ORR custody in Texas. 

A referral from Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) in need of housing for a 17 year old unaccompanied male minor from Honduras who is currently in ORR custody at the Union County Juvenile Detention Center. E's father abandoned him at birth. E became a street child when he was six years old when his mother left to receive treatment for cancer. While living on the streets, he was robbed, beaten, and struggled to find food and bared witness to gang violence. He stopped attending school and began working at age eight in agriculture, picking up cans, shining shoes, and construction. His relationship with his mother is strained, and she often abused alcohol. E came to the United States seeking protection, and wants to receive an education. He has no family in the United States. When he arrived, U.S. immigration officials apprehended him, placed him in deportation proceedings, and placed him in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement in Arizona.

The government then transferred him to Union County Juvenile Detention Center. Despite that E has no criminal convictions or juvenile delinquency record, unless he finds an alternative arrangement, the government will transfer him to an adult immigration detention center when he turns eighteen on August 3, 2014. E hopes to be released from detention, and remain safely in the United States and attend school.

E is eligible for an immigration benefit and defense to deportation called Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), because he is unable to reunify with either of his parents. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status would permit him to become a Lawful Permanent Resident, or green card holder, and remain in the United States permanently. He has completed the first stage of the process for applying for SIJS. Once his application for SIJS is approved, he will be immediately eligible to file for his green card and work authorization.

This morning, First Friends received a referral from ORR, New York for assistance for a 17 year old mom/baby (2 years old) from Honduras that have been in placement at Children's Village since March 2014 and have no reunification options. They do not have any family in the United States. 

First Friends is seeking your support to see if there is anyone in your community willing to provide shelter for them which would allow for their release. 

These children will spend much of their time in the custody of various federal agencies, so opportunities for public help are limited.

More importantly as soon as they turn 18 they will be moved to adult facilities. The 17 year female will be separated from her 2 year old daughter with limited possibility of unification if not released together. 

They need your help and support. 

Please contact Sally Pillay 908-469-7337 for more information.

SUGGESTIONS ON HELPING:

 

• Housing an accompanied minor or an asylum seeker released from immigration detention

• Shoprite, Pathmark, Target gift cards help us  
  purchase food and needed clothing for 
   released individuals 

• A USPS Money order valued at $28.75 helps a detainee to make phone calls to lawyers and family members

• Volunteer to visit immigrants in detention (A great need for Spanish Speakers). Your visits help to boost the morale of the individual and alleviates the isolation

• Donate to our Community Supported Post-Release Program: Visit www.firstfriendsnjny.org and click on the DONATE  
  tab !!! Money goes to towards food, clothing, shelter, transportation, medical needs among other needed services. 

• Take on a case: Attorneys can assists with taking a case pro bono 

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS!

First Friends Response to the Southern Border Humanitarian Crisis!!!

Worsened conditions of sexual assault, economic instability and rising gang and drug violence in Central America have led thousands of unaccompanied children to flee their home countries causing an "urgent humanitarian situation" at the US-Mexico border. These children are in need of care,  are often mistreated by border agents and are placed in already overcrowded holding cells and temporary shelters. They are being subjected to inhumane, appalling conditions. 

Border Agents are not equipped to handle the influx of unaccompanied children streaming in that is straining existing detention and enforcement capacity resulting in overcrowding and dehumanizing conditions of captivity. There are not enough Pro Bono attorneys available to assist these children in their legal proceedings.

As the crisis continues at the border, First Friends recently took in an unaccompanied minor who turned 18 on June 24th and was going to be placed in an adult jail facility if First Friends was not able to assist him.

His traumatic story of his journey from Central America fleeing gang violence, and the mistreatment he endured at the border illustrated the inhumane conditions of incarceration. He was placed inside rooms nicknamed "coolers," "ice boxes" or "hieleras" for 3 days in severely overcrowded conditions. The children were forced to sleep on the floor, and the exposure to frigid temperatures made him very ill. 

First Friends was able to temporarily house him, before getting into contact with family members in Texas. We were able to provide necessary arrangements to have him reunited with his family and provided necessary referrals to legal services providers to assist him. After 2 long days traveling on the bus and multiple changes, we found out that he successfully and safely made it to Texas.

We believe that opening up more family detention centers is not the solution.These children are not criminals, but refugees who have fled violence in their countries and are seeking refuge and a better life amidst the chaos. Department of Homeland Security and Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) should consider Alternatives to Detention rather than using detention facilities as a solution. ORR needs to speed up placement with parent or relative sponsors   and or ensure that children are placed into community-based care whenever possible rather than have them languish in detention 

U.S. authorities must deal with this humanitarian crisis immediately, addressing root causes of the crisis, improving resources and coordination and ensuring the needs of the children are met in a safe and humane manner.

We urgently ask President Obama to use his executive power to reform our immigration laws that reflect American ideals of compassion and family unity. We must place the best interest of the children first and should offer protection to the victims. These children should be our priority in dealing with this crisis. 

The government should appoint legal representation to assist them through the legal process. Many of these unaccompanied minors admitted into custody are potentially eligible for some type of immigration relief such as special immigrant juvenile status, asylum or visas for victims of crimes or trafficking. Without representation, these kids fall through the cracks. Children who would flee are clearly desperate and more attention needs to be focused on the problem.

To learn more about the humanitarian crisis at the border First Friends will host a focus meeting in early August.