Protecting Rights of Immigrant Children
Lawyers For Children in the U.S. Supreme Court
In an amicus brief, Lawyers For Children is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to invalidate President Trump’s “Proclamation” barring immigrants from eight countries from entering the United States. The brief, which was joined by LFC and 20 other immigrant rights organizations was prepared by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in support of the State of Hawaii’s case against the President’s so-called “travel ban.”
The amicus brief expressed the significant and real harm the Proclamation would cause immigrant communities, especially by separating children from their families. Lawyers For Children represents many U.S.-born children and immigrant children who have family members that reside outside of the United States. Our Immigration Rights Project provides advocacy for undocumented clients in foster care and helps them obtain lawful permanent residence through the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) statute.
Read LFC’s amicus brief in Trump v. State of Hawaii, et. al.
Lawyers For Children Helps a 7 Year-Old-Child Find Safety With Her Mother
The filing of our Supreme Court amicus brief comes just weeks after LFC helped to successfully advocate for the reunification of a 7-year-old girl and her asylum-seeking mother who fled Congo and were inexplicably separated in different immigration detention facilities 2,000 miles apart, for four months.
On March 2nd, LFC filed an amicus brief along with 14 children’s rights organizations in support of the American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and others. The brief described how separating children from their families in immigration detention without any legitimate basis such as a risk of abuse or neglect is traumatic, violates basic constitutional and human rights, contradicts nationally accepted child welfare practices and goes against the rule of international law.
On March 16th, the mother and daughter were successfully reunified. We understand that during the reunion, the child and mother fell into each other’s arms in tears—overwhelmed by the emotions and pain of being separated for so long.
LFC is working closely with other immigrant and children’s rights organizations to make sure this cruel and unconstitutional practice does not continue.
From its founding in 1984, Lawyers For Children has sought to protect the rights of some of our society’s most vulnerable children. When children need a voice, we are there. Every day, we use the power of the law to vigorously advocate for our young clients in and outside of foster care, who face incredible obstacles.
LFC refuses to stand by when anyone threatens our young clients’ rights. We will not hesitate to use the law on behalf of our clients to shield them from harmful actions by any individual or government actors. We will, as always, continue to file legal papers, sign amicus briefs, and draft or oppose legislation to protect or advance the rights of our clients.