We need to care for the children of the world as though they were are own flesh and blood.   Enough with the political games.

As required by “Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), unaccompanied children must:

• Be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in the best interest of the child;
• Not be placed in a secured facility unless they are a danger to themselves or others or have been charged with a criminal offense;
• Receive legal orientation;
• Have access to counsel;
• Receive a child advocate;
• Have their asylum or other relief from deportation applications considered using procedures that take into account their specialized needs as unaccompanied children; and
• Be in contact with federal personnel who have had specialized training to work with unaccompanied children and identify children for trafficking victimization and asylum or other special immigrant relief.

As the Stated Clerk of the PCUSA has said in a letter this past week:

Anything less than these standards will place children at risk of being returned to dangerous and exploitative situations. Our country cannot take away these vital protections when there are so many vulnerable children in need of them.

Letter from Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons:

http://www.pcusa.org/news/2014/7/11/stated-clerk-asks-president–protections-children/