Immigration Raids

 

 

IMMIGRATION RAIDS WON'T FIX BROKEN SYSTEM

 

That's the Obama administration's ominous message to Central American women and children who may be in the United States illegally. On Thursday, Reuters reported that the government soon plans to start a 30-day "surge" of immigration raids, to remove families that the administration says did not show up for their court appearances or who have defied orders to leave the country. These raids are meant to deter other Central Americans from making the dangerous journey north.

 

These raids — planned in response to the doubling of the number of Central American "family units" (women and children) apprehended at our southern border -- reflect a deeply misguided strategy for immigration enforcement. The Obama administration is making targets of women and children who should be protected, not punished. The raids against them will sow distrust and fear in all immigrant communities -- while doing absolutely nothing to help fix our broken immigration system.

 

To be clear, these Central American mothers and children are a unique subclass of undocumented migrants. Unlike many undocumented immigrants, they are not coming here to work — they are fleeing brutal violence in their home countries. Nor are they sneaking across the border; many cross openly and then present themselves to Border Patrol agents in the hopes that they can make a claim to stay. But instead of viewing them as potential refugees or asylum seekers, the Obama administration simply wants to send them back to fend for themselves.