immigrantscanada.com

Independent topical source of current affairs, opinion and issues, featuring stories making news in Canada from immigrants, newcomers, minorities & ethnic communities' point of view and interests.

Family Friends: Immigration Proceedings and Immigration Court

family friends: Sponsors typically parents, close relatives or family friends have been expected to care for the minors while they go to school and seek legal status in immigration court, according to Metro News. Arresting those who come forward to sponsor unaccompanied children during their immigration proceedings, often parents, is unimaginably cruel, said Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defence a non-profit that has matched thousands of unaccompanied minors with pro bono attorneys in the last eight years. That marks a sharp departure from policies in place under President Barack Obama's administration, during which time tens of thousands of young people fleeing gang and drug violence in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador crossed the border and were placed with sponsors in communities nationwide. Without caregivers to come forward, many of these children will languish in costly detention centres or be placed in foster care at great expense to states. Immigrant advocacy groups said they were investigating three arrests in Texas, New Jersey and Virginia that may involve sponsors. ICE officials did not respond to questions Thursday seeking details on the number of sponsors who would be targeted or already had been arrested, or what charges would be applied. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.