Thread: La Raza Conference Will Begin Soon on CSPAN2

The conference to discuss the impact of immigration raids on "undocumented" children will be broadcasted in a few minutes on CSPAN2.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to watch it online while I'm working.

Randy Capps, Urban Institute Senior Research Associate is now speaking. Almost 4,000 "immigrants" have been arrested in work-site raids.

They studied 3 sites with the most raids. Interviewed almost 100 respondents. Most importantly interviewed 30 parents.

500 children were impacted by these 3 raids. Other children have also been impacted due to children being brought into other families.

After raids, a substantial number were deported, most from Mexico. Others were held for weeks even months.

A small number of parents were released. They had to send social workers to Texas. Many paid large bonds up to $10,000 which only exacerbated their financial problems.

Geesch! This should be interesting. Thanks for posting it.

Rosa Maria Castaneda (another Urban Institute associate) is now speaking.

ICE lacked sensitivity to parents and children. Some parents were afraid to disclose that they had children for fear the children would also be detained.

More sob.

After raids, families faced severe financial instability. Others in the community were forced to provide for those families. Some parents lost their homes, utilities were turned off. Families were forced to share homes with others.

Children have to cope with the emotional stress from the loss of parents. Some felt abandoned. Behavioral changes - sleep patterns, appetite. Social isolation induced mental problems. Post traumatic stress disorder, suicidal thoughts, etc.

Few families sought assistance. WIC and other benefits were offered.

Randy is speaking again.

Congress should provide oversight.
ICE should develop a consistent policy for releasing parents. Single parents should be released immediately
School should develop systems to ensure children are not left alone.
Social service agencies should provide.
Religious institutions should be permitted to provide assistance.

Rev. Roy Riley, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is now speaking.
Sob story about a family in Texas.
Nelly who is 9 said that if you are not good they will take you away.
The mom is pregnant and will not eat because of her stress. She is afraid that she will have her baby in jail.

Next sob story- a lady in NJ. ICE raided her job, she hid under floor boards near her work station.

Her tears at this point are out of fear for what will happen to her son Anthony.

We shouldn't need a detailed study to tell us what happens to children who are separated from their parents.

We need a report on how we lost sight of the fact that we are an immigrant nation?

Immigrants built this country.

The daily impact in our communities are taking their toll on churches and social services. Congress could call a halt to the random pursuit of undocumented. These people do us no harm. Rather, they sustain our country.