As members of the Orange County League of Women Voters, the Immigration Committee is strongly affected, as we are sure we all are, by the images and reports of children being wrenched from the arms of their mothers at the US Southern Border and held in detention. We are seeing pictures of children in cage-like holding cells; children in orange jumpsuits; children crying while being separated from mothers. We are hearing about breast-feeding mothers having babies taken out of arms; mothers and fathers who are told they will never see their children again, which prompted one young migrant father to commit suicide. The travesty goes on. If you are offended by these actions, please speak up to your Congressional leaders and the agencies involved: Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services.
The Immigration Committee has written the statement below as a guideline for communications:
The Immigration Committee of Orange County League of Women Voters strongly opposes the policy of separation of children from parents, and the subsequent detention of children away from parents. We endorse the statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics: "the psychological distress, anxiety and depression associated with separation from a parent would follow the children well after immediate period of separation, even after reunification." The Immigration Committee also supports the ACLU in their lawsuit seeking an injunction to halt this policy.
Phone numbers for Florida’s Representatives:
US Senator Marco Rubio: 202-224-3041
US Senator Bill Nelson: 202-224-5274
US Representative Darren Soto: 202-225-9889
US Representative Val Demings: 202-225-2176
US Representative Bill Posey: 202-225-3671
US Representative Stephanie Murphy: 202-225-4035