Administration Strips Protections from Immigrant Children
This Sunday, on the cover of the New York Times Sunday Review, Sonia shows how the Trump administration is working to strip well-deserved protections away from unaccompanied immigrant children. He wants to pit one vulnerable group-Dreamers who were brought here by their parents as children-against perhaps the most vulnerable group, children who arrive at our border alone, with no parent, and no where to turn. It's time to ask: is this who we are as a country? Do we protect vulnerable children running from harm. READ MY OPINION PIECE!
Sonia Nazario on Democracy Now!
This summer Sonia was invited to Democracy Now! in order to discuss the latest news in the Trump administration's plan for 'The Wall' and immigration policy in the United States. Sonia's most recent piece in the Los Angeles Times --
How To Secure The Border. Spoiler Alert: A Wall Won't Do It -- addresses her ideas on the United States can actually have an immigration policy that works to slow the flow of migrants and keep more safely home where many prefer to live.
When Sonia was in Des Moines speaking at the Summit on School Climate & Culture conference, she was able to see Carmen, who used to clean Sonia's house in LA twice a month. Carmen has lived for many years in Iowa. A conversation with Carmen in 1997 gave Sonia the idea for her story about single mothers who come to the U.S. from Central America and Mexico and left their children behind. When Carmen and Sonia spoke in 1997, Carmen hadn't seen her children in 12 years.
Carmen shared with Sonia that when the new administration took office, her grandson was harassed by kindergarten classmates who told him he and his family would now be deported. The five year old boy came home despondent.
Sonia works to help recruit pro bono lawyers to represent unaccompanied immigrant children in court, so they have a shot at asylum or some form of relief to stay in the U.S. legally if they feel threatened in their home countries. You can learn more about the organization Sonia helps, Kids In Need of Defense, on their website. CLICK HERE.
Sonia Speaks to Counselors and Educators
Each year Sonia travels across the country -- from conferences to colleges to high schools and middle schools-- to share her thoughts about immigration and how Enrique's story and those of so many immigrant children continues to change. Recently, Sonia has been speaking to more social workers and counselors as well.
