A Beacon of Hope for Refugee Children

Last week, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $2.1 million for legal services for refugee children and families in the County who are facing deportation. It is the first county in the country to do so, although legislation to allocate $3 million from the State for this purpose is currently on Governor Brown’s desk.

Paola, mother of five year old Axa, testified before the Budget and Finance Committee about the journey that had led her to flee Honduras and come to San Francisco. Paola was a student of Business Administration, and had used her skills to start a small shrimp business. By doing so, she had attracted the attention of local gangs, and begun to receive death threats. She said, “I came in the most inhumane way possible because of the hope I had.”

After spending one month on “La Bestia” – the infamous freight train that many migrants ride North to reach the United States – Paola and Axa had reached the United States and been detained. Now, Paola wears an ankle bracelet, a daily reminder that although they are seeking refuge, the US government is seeking to deport them.

This year, the United States has seen a marked increase in the number of children and families arriving at the Southern border from Central America. Many children are traveling alone, fleeing violence in their home countries and seeking to reunite with family already in the United States. In response to this situation, President Obama’s Department of Justice has expedited the deportation cases of many children and families and announced the opening of a new family detention center in Dilley, Texas.

However, a majority of the children who have recently arrived qualify to remain in the United States according to a recent report by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Like Axa, they have survived violence and persecution, and have claims for protection. But, studies show that without a lawyer their chances of prevailing in immigration court are slim, and many will be deported to places where they face violence and even death.

As Axa said to the Board of Supervisors, “we are defenseless and we hope you help us to have an opportunity”. Children like Axa appear in immigration court alone, and must make a case for immigration relief. They must navigate a complex legal system while a government attorney argues for their deportation. The ACLU and partners recently sued the federal government to provided legal representation to children in immigration. But while this litigation is pending, the funding for attorneys from San Francisco and other jurisdictions is critical.

San Francisco and California have acted to provide hope to these children and families. The funding will provide attorneys to children and families who would otherwise have appeared in immigration court alone. San Francisco and California continue to lead the way for the country and provide a welcoming home for immigrants. And we urge the Obama Administration to reexamine their approach and treat these refugee children and families with dignity and compassion. It’s the right thing to do.

Update: Governor Brown has signed SB 873, which provides $3 million for legal services for unaccompanied children arriving in California from Central America. These funds will help children outside of San Francisco County navigate the complex legal system and make their case for relief with the assistance of an attorney. We applaud California lawmakers and Governor Brown for taking this important step, and we call on President Obama to provide legal representation to all children facing deportation.

Kiran Savage-Sangwan is an Organizer with the ACLU of Northern California.