Friend,
Five-year-old Ana traveled with her mother to the United States from Central America to reunite with her father who lived in the United States. Before trying to cross the border in Mexico, a man threatened to harm them, forcing Ana’s mother to make the difficult decision to separate from her daughter to protect her.
Ana crossed into the United States alone and was placed in government custody. Eventually, Ana’s mother arrived in the U.S. and Ana’s father drove to Texas to reunite with his partner. On their drive back, however, the police stopped them, and immigration officials deported Ana’s parents back to Central America.
Once Ana learned her mother and father were back in Central America, she made her wishes clear to return home to her parents. Through the Young Center’s safety assessment, we built a strong rapport with her mother and father which allowed us to gather critical information about Ana and her mother’s journey to the U.S., knowledge of her parents’ location, and their wishes for their child. Anxious to reunite with Ana, her father returned to the U.S. and began the government’s reunification process. After 143 days of separation, Ana reunified with her father.
Ana’s story is why your support this Giving Tuesday is vital towards ensuring that all children are reunited with their loved ones, no matter what side of the border they choose. Faced with an increasingly adversarial system, your donation will guarantee that children and their families stay together. Help us raise $65,000.00 by midnight today.
