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Families Belong Together

The Issue

The “zero-tolerance policy” introduced under the Trump administration, led by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has resulted in the widespread separation of children from their parents at the US-Mexican border. This policy mandates that all adults in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody, even those seeking asylum, are prosecuted through the Justice Department and detained while awaiting trial. Because children cannot be prosecuted or held in detention long-term, they are being forcibly taken from their parents.

Between April and May alone, nearly 2,000 children were separated from their parents, according to DHS. These children are then classified as “unaccompanied minors” and placed in shelters under the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, until a sponsor can be found. While the administration claims there is no explicit family separation policy, this process has systematically torn families apart, leaving children traumatized and vulnerable. It is important to note: no law requires this practice.

The harm caused to these children is clear and severe. Pediatric experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), strongly oppose this practice, as it directly threatens the health and well-being of immigrant children. The AAP, alongside its Immigrant Health Special Interest Group and the Department of Federal Affairs, is working to stop these harmful policies.

You can help. As a healthcare provider—or simply as someone who cares about the rights and safety of children—you can join the AAP in calling for an immediate end to this practice. Together, we can protect vulnerable children and reunite families.

We are grateful to all of the advocates and partners in this work.
Collaborators include:

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