John,

Let me be frank, there's been a lot of coverage on what's happening at the border, so I wanted to set the record straight. 

Children and families have sought refuge from desperate and dangerous situations throughout our history, many times because our country is their last hope. Migration is not a new issue, and what is going on didn't happen overnight. 

For the last two years, we've cruelly turned many away, causing a well-documented backlog at the border. Additionally, two devastating hurricanes hit Central America at the end of last year, leaving many parents facing the most difficult question: What would you do to protect your children? 

Over the weekend, the Biden administration directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the processing of children at the southern border, but too much of the coverage is on how this is going to land politically. That's the wrong question. The issue is how are we as a nation going to center the wellbeing of children and families.

Are we going to show up and lead with dignity and compassion, or abject cruelty? 

Thanks to your support, Families Belong Together and our dedicated partners are working around the clock to ensure that families are safe, healthy, and reunited with their loved ones as quickly as possible. We are monitoring the situation closely and demand that every government entity involved approach the issue through a lens of child safety and welfare.

More than ever, we need bold solutions to fix the broken immigration and asylum system. We need to push back on the notion that we as a country cannot rise to this task: We can. 

John, we cannot lose sight of the fact that these children and families are arriving at our front door because they want the same thing so many of us take for granted: Safety.

What's happening at the border isn't new, but our response can be. We have the resources, the capabilities, and most of all, the will to say yes to welcoming children and families with compassion and dignity. 

Join us,

Paola Luisi, Director 
Families Belong Together