Thank you Amnesty International USA for sponsoring this post.
Both my parents came to the USA from Peru (South America) in 1980, with a dream and desire to obtain the American Dream. Through their ups and downs, they have achieved their goal and in return gave my sister and I a better future.
Unfortunately, more and more people all over the world make the difficult decision to leave their homes not for a dream but to flee horrific violence. Others are escaping discrimination, persecution, or extreme poverty.
Right now, we’re in the middle of the largest global refugee crisis in generations. Tens of millions of people – many of them children – have been forced from their homes in Syria, Central America, Africa, and other parts of the world.
Many refugees face violence and human rights abuses while trying to find safety, and then face discrimination and hostility when they finally begin to rebuild their lives in another country.
Every time I watch the news, it breaks my heart seeing people, especially young kids, suffering and going through inhumane conditions. No one should ever have to go through such a traumatic experience, no one! All of them deserve to have their human rights respected, and that’s what Amnesty International USA helps ensure.
Amnesty International USA is a global movement of millions of people demanding human rights for all people – no matter who they are or where they are. They are the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization.
Decades ago, countries of the world agreed to a set of basic principles for how refugees would be treated when they go to another country seeking asylum, or emergency protection from violence or persecution. The United States and other countries agreed to treat people with compassion and respect their human rights while their claims are considered.
The United States has not been living up to this commitment. People seeking asylum are sometimes imprisoned and held for many months without access to attorneys or translators. Children are sometimes imprisoned and separated from their families. Some people seeking asylum are deported without having their claims heard – and they are forced to return to countries where they may be tortured, imprisoned, or even killed.
There’s only one place in the U.S. that you can hold a child who’s never committed a violent action or crime for nearly 700 days and that place is Berks County Residential Center in Pennsylvania.
Berks is currently holding at least 60 parents and kids. Many of them are from Central America, where Amnesty International has documented horrific violence. Their only so-called crime is seeking safety for their families as they flee violence or persecution. Whether for two weeks or two years, no family should be jailed for seeking safety.
It’s time for the U.S. government to end the cruel practice of family detention at centers like Berks once and for all. They must immediately release detained families. Amnesty International USA is fighting to ensure that people with asylum claims are given a fair hearing and humane treatment.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
In the face of this humanitarian crisis, governments around the world are not doing enough to help. Families have been forced to flee their homes because their lives are under threat and their human rights are being violated.
We need take immediate action in favor of human rights and shed light on the #TheBerkKids. The issue of immigration and the violation of human rights is something we need to stand up for and get involved. Education and awareness is key for any change to be made.
We all share a responsibility to help people who have lost everything, and to give them a chance to rebuild their lives safely the same way all of us would need to if we were in this horrible situation.
Please donate and visit Amnesty International USA to learn more about this crisis and what you can do to help.
We are all part of one world.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
