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John,
I am here right now near Miami, Florida, at the Homestead Facility, where thousands of children seeking safety are being held. What I am seeing is devastating.
Migrant children are being held in Homestead, a U.S. Government facility, away from their families for weeks and even months. We cannot let this happen any longer: shut Homestead down now!
Under the current law, migrant children are supposed to be moved from Homestead into state-licensed shelters "expeditiously" and within twenty days if possible. Our research team spoke with one child who was detained in Homestead for 8 months before being transferred to a state-licensed shelter.
The U.S. Government has deemed Homestead a temporary emergency facility and is holding children longer than legally allowed. Not only that, but employees are not subject to the same strict state background checks that are required at licensed facilities.
As a mother and a human rights activist, I cannot let this mistreatment of children at the hands of the U.S. government go on any longer: join me and shut Homestead down now.
When we visited in April, the Program Director of Homestead also informed us that girls must submit a service request form if they need additional sanitary pads. Take action if you agree: all girls should have access to as many sanitary pads as they need, without submitting paperwork.
Today’s visit to Homestead underscored the true nature of this crisis. I saw for myself what these children are going through. There is no doubt in my mind that this facility needs to be shut down.
A detention facility is not a home: it’s a punishment. Join me if you agree that these children need to be released immediately.
We will not stop advocating for these children. Please add your voice today.
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