Right now, reports indicate that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials are beginning to implement an initiative to financially incentivize unaccompanied immigrant children to agree to abandon their legal rights to seek safety and leave the United States.
Reports indicate that as of October 3, DHS has begun to offer a $2,500 stipend to children in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) custody who agree to forfeit their rights under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, withdraw their legal case, and file for “voluntary departure” from the United States.
The move exploits the trust of already vulnerable children escaping violence and persecution, placing them at further risk of trafficking and other forms of abuse.
The government’s offer to pay children to leave the U.S. and return to the harm they fled is an affront to decades of precedent prioritizing children’s safety. See CWS’s statement on the initiative for more information.
Many unaccompanied children arrive in the United States seeking protection from persecution and violence after facing abuse, abandonment, neglect, or human trafficking. Take action below to stand up for immigrant children’s rights!
Sample Email Script: “My name is [insert your name] and as a constituent of [Representative/Senator] from [City/Town] and [a faith leader/refugee leader/community member], I urge you to publicly and forcefully condemn a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiative to financially incentivize unaccompanied immigrant children to give up their applications for legal protection and leave the U.S.
According to recent reports, on October 3, DHS began offering $2,500 to unaccompanied children who agree to forfeit their rights under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, withdraw their legal case, and file for “voluntary departure” from the United States.
The move exploits the trust of already vulnerable children escaping violence and persecution, placing them at further risk of trafficking and other forms of abuse.
The government’s offer to pay children to leave the U.S. and return to the harm they fled is an affront to decades of precedent prioritizing children’s safety.
Beyond decrying DHS’s most recent effort to remove unaccompanied children, it is also imperative that Members of Congress take steps to keep them safe by protecting funding for legal services and other support for unaccompanied children. I urge you to ensure that funding in the LHHS Refugee and Entrant Assistance account is allocated for Home Studies and Post Release Services and for legal services through the Unaccompanied Children Program. It is also imperative that Congress include guardrails to ensure these programs remain decoupled from efforts to target children and their families for immigration enforcement.
Children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian need our care, protection, and support so that they can thrive and flourish. Thank you.”
Sample Phone Script: “My name is [insert your name] and as a constituent of [Representative/Senator] from [City/Town] and [a faith leader/refugee leader/community member], I urge you to publicly decry the Department of Homeland Security’s new initiative to provide a financial incentive for unaccompanied immigrant children to leave the U.S.
According to recent reports, on October 3, DHS began implementing an initiative to make a payment to unaccompanied children who abandon their applications for legal protection and leave the United States.
This move exploits the trust of already vulnerable children escaping violence and persecution, placing them at further risk of trafficking and other forms of abuse.
Beyond decrying DHS’s scheme to incentivize children to leave the U.S., it is also imperative that Members of Congress take steps to keep them safe by supporting and protecting essential services for them and their families, such as legal services and Home Study and Post Release Services.
Children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian need our care, protection, and support so that they can thrive and flourish. Thank you.”
Sample Social Media Posts:
- @legislator: DHS’s latest scheme to pay unaccompanied immigrant children to leave the U.S. is morally wrong. Our government should invest in efforts to protect children, not send them back to danger.
- @legislator: Members of Congress have a moral imperative to ensure that unaccompanied immigrant children are safe and protected. I urge you to decry DHS’s initiative to attempt to incentivize children to give up their legal rights and leave the U.S.
- @legislator: Paying children who fled violence and persecution to leave the U.S. exploits their trust. Condemn DHS’s latest scheme to incentivize kids’ departure.
Additional Resources:
- CWS Statement: CWS Alarmed over DHS Plan to Spur Departure of Unaccompanied Children
- National Center for Youth Law: The Unraveling of ORR: A Quick and Calculated Undoing of a System Intended to Protect Children
- CWS Statement: Termination of Unaccompanied Children Program Strips Vulnerable Kids of Legal Protection and Support
- Best Practices to Protect Unaccompanied Children
- CWS Factsheet: Who Are Unaccompanied Children?
- CWS Home Study and Post-Release Services
- Close to 90% of unaccompanied children have a parent or other close family member already living in the United States – Statement by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas
- From KIND – Legal Representation: A Vital Safeguard to Protect Unaccompanied Children from Labor Exploitation
- From KIND – Policy Brief: Five Recommendations for Protecting Unaccompanied Children from Labor Exploitation
- From the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights – Child Advocate Program
- From Casey Family Programs – What are some strategies that prioritize first placement of children with a family?