Unaccompanied children congressional briefing resources

Educators, community partners and legal aid providers hosted a congressional briefing on March 24 to urge members of Congress to immediately address the myriad issues affecting unaccompanied children seeking refuge in the United States. Recent U.S. Department of Homeland Security enforcement raids targeting immigrants from Central America have had a chilling effect on immigrant families, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of children and threatening the security and safety of entire communities. Widespread fear has kept children away from schools. Since 2014, more than 100,000 unaccompanied children have sought refuge in the United States, and more than half do not have legal representation in court. Now more than ever, we need to unite and work with community partners to put the safety and well-being of children first. The following is a list of resources and materials provided at the briefing and that support this issue.

AFT materials

• International Humanitarian Crisis at the U.S. Border (AFT resolution)
• AFT Infographic: Children Seeking Refuge in the U.S.
• AFT Letter to House & Senate in Support of the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act H.R. 4626 & S. 2540
• Unaccompanied Children in Schools: What You Need to Know (Colorín Colorado)

Resources from our partners

• Sign-on Letter from 50 Children’s Groups to Pres. Obama: Stop the Raids (First Focus)
• Fact sheet: Protecting Refugee Children from Central America (First Focus)
• An overview of Central American and Mexican families’ experiences during recent ICE raids (National Immigration Law Center)
• Facts on Family Raids: DHS Targets Central American and Other Families for Deportation (National Immigration Law Center)
• Letter to Senators Reid and McConnell on "Special Concerns Relating to Juveniles in Immigration Courts" (National Association of Immigration Judges)
• Human Rights Brief: The U.S. Immigration Court, A Ballooning Backlog that Requires Action (Human Rights First)
• AFL-CIO Executive Council Statement on Central American Refugee Crisis
• Statement By Secretary Jeh C. Johnson On Southwest Border Security (Department of Homeland Security)