According to a
recent news story, a man who arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border with his 12-year-old son
seeking asylum last November was forced to separate from his son while
in detention, along with other fathers and their children. The man has
appeared at the border seeking asylum because the MS-13 gang was forcing
his son to join their gang and forcing his wife to be a sex slave for
the gang. This man is one of the increasing number of Central American
fathers who are attempting to cross the border with their children. Due
to the mandate that children be held in the least restrictive environment
possible, DHS has been forced to release many families as it has insufficient
family units in which to house the fathers and children. Immigrant advocates
suspect that by separating families at the border, DHS is sending a warning
to immigrants who plan to present themselves at the border that they will
be separated from their children if they do so. This policy has the effect
of deterring immigrations from legally seeking protection from persecution,
often forcing them to resort to unscrupulous and dangerous smugglers.
Now, multiple advocacy groups have filed a complaint with the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) on behalf of the man and 14 other individuals
who were separated from their children and families by DHS at the border.
In their complaint, immigration advocates accuse DHS of separating families
at the border as a means of punishing those who are lawfully seeking access
to protection through the asylum process. The complaint also charges DHS
with not only traumatizing families, but also jeopardizing their asylum
claims, as they may lose crucial evidence as family members are separated
and may longer be able to provide testimony on their behalf. In today’s
climate of extreme immigration enforcement, detention may be a significant
possibility for you or your loved ones, which can result in the separation
of your family. If ICE has detained a family member or loved one, contacting an
experienced California immigration attorney
as quickly as possible can be essential securing his or her release and
fighting deportation. Taking steps to fix an immigration problem from
the outset is often much simpler than waiting until the last minute and
attempting to remedy the situation. Call
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C., at (510) 756-4468 today, and learn what we can do to help you through
this situation.
Categories:
Starting June 1, 2020, we are open for in-person consultations! We have social distancing protocols in place to keep everyone safe.
Please DOWNLOAD our FREE GUIDE for Immigrants to THRIVE during the COVID-19 Pandemic ( English / Español )!