WASHINGTON — Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) applauds Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) for their letter yesterday calling upon the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expeditiously deploy child welfare professionals to the border as Congress has previously directed.
“Vulnerable migrant children in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities need child welfare experts’ care and screening,” said KIND President Wendy Young. “Properly utilized, child welfare professionals will help ensure children’s appropriate treatment in CBP custody, prevent unnecessary and traumatic family separations, and identify trafficking and other child protection concerns—all while streamlining border operations. The funding that Congress dedicated for these personnel presents DHS with a vital opportunity to advance core commitments to child safety and family unity. I urge the Biden administration to meet at this moment.”
“Every child deserves safe, humane reception when arriving to the United States,” said Mario Bruzzone, senior policy advisor at the Women’s Refugee Commission. “Employing child welfare professionals at U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities will help ensure that children are cared for and able to reunite with their family as quickly as possible. We thank Senators Rosen and Hirono for their steadfast dedication to the welfare and protection of migrant children.”
To speak with Wendy Young, President of KIND, please contact Shamari White at kind@westendstrategy.com, (202) 714-4129. To contact Mario Bruzzone, please contact Joanna Kuebler, JKuebler@wrcommission.org, 646-255-5586
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Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. KIND has provided over 28,000 children with high quality representation in their immigration proceedings by training more than 41,000 attorneys, and cultivating partnerships with over 700 law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and bar associations across the country. www.supportkind.org