Thread: Book Documents Immigration Raids' Impact on Children

Book Documents Immigration Raids' Impact on Children

Published March 08, 2011

More than two-thirds of children affected by immigration raids are under 10, and in the aftermath of those police operations they feel abandoned and go through phases of low self-esteem and aggressive conduct, an expert warns.

"The innocence of children requires that the subject of immigration be discussed from a human rights point of view. But we are so immersed in the complexity and controversy of this subject that those who pay the highest price are the most vulnerable, in other words, the children," the Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier tells Efe.

Conde-Frazier, known for her writings on spirituality, social subjects and multiculturalism, has analyzed the subject by interviewing immigrant parents separated from their children, either because the youngsters stayed in their country of origin or because the parents had to return to those countries and the children stayed behind in the United States being cared for by other people.

The interviews have been compiled in her new book, "Listen to the Children: Conversations with Immigrant Families

Conde-Frazier estimates that 67 percent of children affected by raids are less than 10 years old, and a third are younger than 6. After a raid, the kids feel abandoned and very frightened "especially if they saw their parents being arrested."

A youngster afterwards suffers from low self-esteem, lack of concentration, sleep deprivation, aggressive conduct, continuous distrust, worry, crying, nightmares and loss of faith.

"Most of these children are United States citizens, since they were born in this country," Conde-Frazier, dean of Esperanza College at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, said.

Immigration reform will be "difficult" since "many Americans see immigration as a matter of black and white."

But, she said, "as happens with many subjects of great human significance, the reality is much more complicated."

In many cases, immigrant parents arrive alone and later, months or years afterwards, their children arrive. The family reunification is always awkward because families seldom plan how to keep up their good relations and communications all the time they're apart.

"By means of their character, their values and how they conduct their daily life, and by means of the contributions they make and what they want to do, immigrants who come to the United States show that they want a fair immigration status," the theologian says.

The response to that desire to regularize their status should be based on "human needs and human rights." And the starting point of that analysis should be the children.

"The humanity of a society is measured by the quality of life of its children. The ability to provide a truly human context for the healthy development of children says so much about the values of a culture," Conde-Frazier said.

"My hope is that we keep talking about the subject of immigration with the goal of reaching immigration reform that restores people's dignity and simultaneously resolves this complex problem," she said.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifest ... z1G2bi3vyp

"Do you believe this, put it all on your children because you broke the law and continue to break the law!"

Not our problem. These bleeding hearts libs should be pointing their fingers at the parents of these poor, poor children.

People like this author seem to care very little about US Citizens children who also suffer when their parents are arrested/incarcerated,in fact it seems to be accepted as just a sad fact of arresting citizen law breakers who have children.As long as it is not the poor Illegals children this authour could care less what happens to citizen children. Her assertions is just a sneaky way to stop deportation NOT to save children !!

Also this author gives no thought to the thousands of citizen children who along with their parents are homeless & suffering because their parents have lost their jobs and cannot find any work in part because of millions of IA's in our workforce.

Another day , another sob story

These moron parents made the mess they are in , we didn't

After a raid, the kids feel abandoned and very frightened "especially if they saw their parents being arrested."

Simple solution... take the kiddies along with the parents. But of course they never seem to consider this option, they had those kids in hopes of staying in the US. So they leave the kids behind in hopes that said kids will be their ticket back.

I am sick to death of "theologians" trying to tell us what's right. How about following the TEN COMMANDMENTS first? The parents broke several of those commandments in coming here:


You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

President Calderon has room at his house and jobs for them. They should meet up with Felipe ASAP when they all get back to Mexico...

The sequel to this book will be about children with parents thrown in jail. Little Bobby watched his dad get arested for robbing a bank and now has nightmares about being arested. What is wrong with these idiots???

Put the blame where it belongs - on the parents. Talk about enabling. I say charge every one of these parents with child abuse and child endangerment.

Just a part of the indoctrination procedure to make sure that the little tikes grow up with an entitlement chip on their shoulder due to their victim status placed upon them by the bad folks who insist on living in a nation of laws. Commie indoctrination, the libtard method for future comrades.