Every parent deserves peace of mind knowing their children will be safe and cared for, no matter what challenges arise. There are several tools available to help immigrant parents plan for the future safety and custody of their children.
Julie Babayeva, Supervising Attorney for NYLAG’s LegalHealth Standby Guardianship Project, wrote to The New York Times in response to “Pressure on ICE to Deport Leaves Children Without Their Parents,” published on Nov. 17, to underscore the importance of family safety planning in this moment of heightened immigration enforcement:
As President Trump’s border czar, Thomas Homan, threatens increased immigration enforcement and my colleagues on the front lines of ICE’s New York City courthouse dragnet witness daily violent family separations, family preparedness planning for immigrant New Yorkers has never been more urgent.
This is particularly true for mixed-status or noncitizen families, where a parent’s detention or deportation can leave children without a caregiver. As a public interest attorney, I’ve seen firsthand how this nightmare scenario becomes a devastating reality before parents have a chance to prepare for it. But planning can help ensure children’s future safety and custody.
Immigrant parents can — and should — take proactive steps to protect their family, offering peace of mind that no matter what happens, a designated trusted adult can immediately step in to provide security, stability and continuity of care for children’s medical, financial and educational needs.
If you’re a parent, P.T.A. coordinator, school administrator or concerned neighbor, help spread the word: An attorney can guide immigrant parents through options that fit their needs. The New York Legal Assistance Group’s Standby Guardianship project can help parents make a plan to ensure that children are cared for by someone they trust — even in the face of detention or deportation.
You can read the letter to the editor in The New York Times, originally published on Nov. 26.
The post The New York Times: Letter to the Editor: Immigrant Family Separations appeared first on New York Legal Assistance Group.
