End Family Separation and Detention of Migrant Children

I am writing to urge you to take immediate action to end the separation of migrant families and the detention of children in immigration facilities. Recent reports indicate that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is under investigation by a federal judge for potential contempt charges related to flights carrying migrants to El Salvador, highlighting the ongoing chaos and lack of accountability in our immigration enforcement system. The practice of detaining children in facilities that lack adequate oversight, medical care, and educational resources violates basic human rights standards. These are not abstract policy debates. Children are being held in conditions that mental health experts have documented cause lasting psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Family separation as a deterrence strategy has been condemned by the American Academy of Pediatrics and numerous child welfare organizations as harmful to child development. I understand immigration policy involves complex considerations about border security and resource allocation. However, there are proven alternatives to detention that are both more humane and more cost-effective. Community-based case management programs have shown compliance rates exceeding 95 percent at a fraction of the cost of detention facilities. These programs allow families to remain together while their cases are processed, protecting children from harm while maintaining immigration enforcement. I am asking you to publicly oppose family separation policies and support legislation that prohibits the detention of children in immigration facilities. Additionally, please advocate for increased funding for community-based alternatives to detention and ensure robust oversight of all immigration enforcement activities involving minors. Our immigration system should reflect our values as a nation. We can enforce our laws without inflicting trauma on children. I look forward to your response on where you stand on protecting migrant children from detention and family separation.