Letter to Donald J. Trump - Immediately Take All Necessary Steps To Reunite The More Than 2,300 Children Currently In Gov't Custody Separated From Their Families

Letter

Dear Mr. President,

For the last several weeks, Americans of all political stripes have been appalled by the sounds and images of young children who were separated from their parents. That is why we were deeply dismayed to hear, in the wake of your executive order, that the Department of Health and Human Services would not immediately begin to take all necessary steps to reunite the more than 2,300 children who have been separated from their families.

It seems that the administration lacks a plan, intention, and a sense of urgency to begin reuniting these children -- many of whom have suffered serious emotional anguish -- with their parents. Children's health experts, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, have condemned the practice of separating children from their parents because of the serious, long-term and permanent emotional and psychological damage that children can experience from this separation.

The administration has the authority and the resources to immediately begin the process of family reunification. Any delay in doing so is simply unacceptable. We request that the administration present its plan to Congress and the country as soon as possible, and immediately begin steps to implement it.

Such a plan must include:

Steps to fully undo the "zero tolerance" policy, which has created such a crisis;
Immediate action to reunify families; and
When reunited, your administration must quickly present alternatives to detention.

These alternatives have a proven track record and are significantly cheaper for taxpayers than the artificially-prolonged incarceration of asylum seekers that only enriches private companies in the business of running prisons.

For the sake of the children, we strongly urge you to begin this process today.

Sincerely,

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