UNACCOMPANIED IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

From Countries in Central America

A half million migrants travel to the USA from Central America each year

Central American immigrants ride north atop a freight train known as “La Bestia,” or “The Beast,” near Juchitan, Mexico. It is part of a long and perilous journey through Mexico to reach the U.S. border. Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

On top of “La Bestia”

Placement centers that hold migrants, like this in in Nogales, Arizona, have been overflowing with the more than 47,000 unaccompanied children who have entered the country illegally since Oct. 1. Photo by Ross D. Franklin-Pool/Getty Images

Detainees sleep in a holding cell at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility, on June 18, 2014, in Brownsville,Texas. Brownsville and Nogales, Ariz. have been central to processing thousands of unaccompanied children who have entered the country illegally since 2012. Photo by Eric Gay-Pool/Getty Images

Two young girls watch a World Cup soccer match from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Nogales Placement Center in Brownsville, Texas, where hundreds of children, most from Central America, are being held after crossing the border. Photo by Ross D. Franklin-Pool/Getty Images

Detainees, with the shoe strings removed, wait at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility, on June 18, 2014, in Brownsville,Texas. Photo by Eric Gay-Pool/Getty Images

North South Looking for Appropriate Clothing

WHY THE “SURGE”?Push Factors•Poor social and economic conditions at home•Gangs & violence in home countries

Pull Factors•Failed immigration policies in USA•Family re-unification•Better employment opportunities•Weather more conducive to travel

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS•Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Art. 13)

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his/her own, and to return to his/her country.Refugee statusAs many as 2/3 of the migrant children may qualify for refugee status because they fear violence and persecution in their home countries. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights)

HUMAN RIGHTSInternational human rights standards provide for detention of children only as a last resort and for very short periods. The United Nations stated in 2013 that children should never be detained for immigration reasons, and that immigration detention can never be considered in a child’s “best interests.”

CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD (USA HAS SIGNED BUT NOT RATIFIED)

Article 31. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.

Article 221. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure that a child who is seeking refugee status or who is considered a refugee in accordance with applicable international or domestic law and procedures shall, whether unaccompanied or accompanied by his or her parents or by any other person, receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance in the enjoyment of applicable rights set forth in the present Convention and in other international human rights or humanitarian instruments to which the said States are Parties.

US GOVERNMENT RESPONSE• “Policies fall short of international standards”• 2003 – care of unaccompanied child migrants changed

from Homeland Security to Health & Human Services• 2012 – Executive Order allowed 2-year deferral of

deportation hearings; a surge in unaccompanied youth ensued• 2014 – President Obama requested Congress to

authorize $2 billion in response to the crisis AND asked for increased flexibility to deport unaccompanied children

CNN REPORT, JUNE 25TH HTTP://WWW.CNN.COM/2014/06/24/US/TEXAS-WAREHOUSE-UNACCOMPANIED-MINORS/

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Hearing - JUNE 25th Unaccompanied Immigrant Childrenhttp://www.c-span.org/video/?320151-1/unaccompanied-immigrant-children

BISHOP MARK SEITZ TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE•http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4502015/bishop-seitz-testimony

BISHOP GERALD F. KICANAS – PLAN FOR HUMANITARIAN AID• Transitional housing• Hospitality• Food• Clothing• Legal representation• Pastoral services

BisbeeKathleen CookSusan KolbPatricia YoungerMary Rose ObholzMarilyn Winkel

GlendaleMarilyn Bever

MesaCecelia Schlaefer

PhoenixJean PerryRachel Doefler

St. MichaelsBarbara DeBooJoleen Retzer

TempeColleen Braun

TucsonNancy ChowPaulette ShawEileen MahoneyMary Ann Bogosoff

Sister Barbara

Sister Colleen Sister Cecelia

Sister Joleen Sister Susan Sister Eileen

Sister Paulette

Sister KathleenSister Josephine Sister Patricia

Sister Mary Ann Sister Nancy

Kathleen Gammon

Kay Bircher

Sister Marilyn

Arizona Associates:

Sister Rachel

Sister Jean

Mary Pat Waldmann

WHAT WE CAN DO•Pray•Learn•Assess•Act•Advocate