No matter what your opinion may be regarding the topic of illegal immigration in the United States, one thing is true: children are suffering.
The article 'Undocumented Immigrants Losing Fight to Keep Children Who Are U.S. Citizens' by Ryan J. Stanton from AnnArbor.com, tells the story shared by thousands of children in the child welfare system. Marcos, an eleven-year old dual citizen of the US and Mexico, has been in foster care for almost two years, while his mother is detained in a federal facility in Texas for entering the country illegally.
Despite having "aunts and uncles who say they love him and desperately want to bring him into their homes," they are unable to formally petition the court in order to seek custody, due to their immigration status.
According to Donald Shelton, chief judge of the Washtensaw County Circuit Court who handles these cases regularly, there is "no clear guidance in the way of federal or state policy" for Marcos' family members to give him a loving home he deserves.
Department of Human Services officials in Michigan add that there is "no official policy that says a child can't be placed with an undocumented relative" either.
Without a legal standard that acts in the best interest of Marcos and children like him, the system will continue to avoid focusing on his more immediate needs.
Stanton provides a great report on the experiences of undocumented families with children in foster care; an experience everyone should read.
What can we do to help Marcos and children like him? Discuss in the comments section below.