Every day we wait for a clear path to citizenship, 1,100 families lose someone to deportation. This includes mothers of U.S. born children and dreamers. I have spoken first-hand with children who have experienced the forced separation of a parent due to deportation. It is always devastating. Psychologists agree and report that a traumatic event like the deportation of a mother could possibly alter a child's personality for life.
The numbers keep piling up: By January of this year, ICE had already deported 92,000 Californians who were handed over by local police. The vast majority of people held by local police for ICE had no criminal record.
Every major faith denomination, like the Presbyterian Church USA agrees it is just wrong to keep destroying law-abiding potential citizen's lives -- we need a path to citizenship and a stop to deportations NOW. Why are we deporting today's creative and energetic people who could become citizens tomorrow?
This Mother's Day, when I hold my two children close, I will pause to remember to be gracious. Grateful that I am a citizen in my adopted country and for all I have been given. I will also thank God for our partners in the fight like the Sierra Club, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and Reform of Judaism.
We will continue to push for justice for all, those with papers and those without. We are all God's children.
SI SE PUEDE!