Dear Friends of the School Sisters of Notre Dame,
As you know, a new immigration policy implemented by the administration of the White House in May has led to a significant increase in migrant children being separated from their families.
The “no tolerance policy” attempts to crack down on illegal border crossings and allows border security agents in the Southwest to separate children of immigrants trying to enter the U.S. for asylum. Dozens of parents are being split from their children each day — the children are labeled “unaccompanied minors” and sent to government custody or foster care. Parents are being labeled criminals and sent to jail. An average of 45 children are being taken from their parents each day. According to the Department of Homeland Security, since April 19, 2018, over 2,000 children have been separated from their families at the US border.
As we know, many of those who are risking their lives to enter the United States are leaving Central American countries where they have been subjected to social insecurity and many forms of violence from which their governments have been unable to protect them. These families, especially the children, have a right to seek protection from harm. Their trauma and suffering is only exacerbated by this recently enacted US policy of separating children from their parents.
As the U.S, bishops have stated at their recent assembly in Florida, “families are the foundational element of society and they must be allowed to stay together.”
Since the beginning of our congregation, SSNDs have been committed to work for and with women and youth. As educators, we know the severe impact that trauma, especially related to separation from their parents, has on the health and well-being of children. With this perspective, and in the spirit of our Directional Statement from the 24th General Chapter, which calls us to “address and respond to urgent and critical global concerns”, we must advocate to Congress and the White House administration for an end to the immoral policy of separation of families at the US border.
Shalom North America has set up an advocacy action on Voter Voice regarding this issue. Click here to take action!
Let us continue to keep these children and their parents in our prayer and let us pray and work for a successful immigration reform.
S. Charmaine Krohe, SSND
Provincial Leader, Atlantic-Midwest Province
School Sisters of Notre Dame
