Immigrant children at the border facilities in El Paso, Texas desperately need our help. It has been reported that the conditions of the facilities are unsanitary and overcrowded, with insufficient food and dirty water. The majority of these children are asylum seekers who are fleeing from some sort of trauma—being detained at the border is salt in an already painful wound. So far, at least 7 children have died.
There are plenty of ways to help aid families and individuals who are suffering at the border, including donating funds, volunteering time, and advocating in person or on social media. Here’s how we can help:
1. Donate funds and goods. Border patrol won't take goods to the border, but certain organizations, such as The Annunciation House or Gathering Humanity, will take goods for the people they are housing. However, these organizations said donating funds will have a better impact for their refugees; they can use the money to buy the goods they need at the moment they need them, allowing more flexibility to accommodate their guests. It also lightens the workload and the cost of sorting and transporting the donated goods. You can also help families who are separated at the border by paying off their bonds. Bonds can range from $1,500 to $250,000, and organizations such as Freedom for Immigrants collect funds for bail.
2. Volunteering. The facilities at the border are sending away thousands of refugees. The Annunciation House states that more than 400 refugees a day are being sent to them, and they need volunteers who can help assist with the flow of people. Faith-based groups also are in need of volunteers to help with stocking warehouses, staffing their shelters, and preparing meals. Specialty volunteers with medical or legal backgrounds are also needed.
3. Speaking out on social media. Spreading the word about the reality of the conditions at the southern border has a beneficial impact to the immigrants who are patiently waiting. Many organizations are getting vocal about the conditions at the border, spreading the word to elected officials and our government. Organizations such as Families Belong Together offer social media content that is easy to post on your own social media profiles.
Being appalled by the way so many immigrants and their children are being treated isn’t enough—we need to help, even if all we can do is get vocal on social media. As a compassion-driven immigration attorney, helping those who are suffering at the hands of border patrol is important to me. I hope you will help create awareness of this cause, and do what you can to help.
Ask the Immigration Attorney
Have a question about the conditions at the southern border or how you can help make a difference in the lives of these immigrants? Ask immigration attorney Amena Choudhury your biggest question, completely free! Just submit your question via the form below, and Amena will get back to you.