How To Help Migrant Parents & Children Who Are Separated At The Border

A mother whose daughter was ripped away from her arms while breastfeeding. A grandmother seeking asylum who got separated from her 16-year-old grandson with disabilities. A five-year-old child placed with foster parents after being taken away from his father. A father who died by suicide after being separated from his wife and three-year-old son.

America has a long history of tearing apart families of color, but the Trump administration's recent directive to separate migrant parents and children at the border is particularly cruel. (For a breakdown of the policy and how it works, go here.)

The directive is part of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' efforts to overhaul the immigration system. In the last year, Sessions unsuccessfully tried to put a stop to President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, slapped case quotas on immigration judges, and most recently, issued an order that would block most survivors of domestic abuse and gang violence from receiving asylum.

Before the directive went into effect, the administration was already splitting families apart. The New York Times reported that between October 2017 and April 2018, nearly 700 families were separated. Then, the Department of Homeland Security announced that nearly 2,000 children had been separated from their parents over the span of just six weeks, from April 19 through May 31.

Since there's been a surge in the number of children placed in detention after the policy went into effect, the Trump administration is planning to start building new tent cities at military posts in the state of Texas to shelter these kids. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has told the U.S. that the practice of separating families violates the children's rights and international law.

MSNBC reporter Jacob Soboroff had the opportunity to visit a former Walmart, now used as a detention center in Brownsville, TX. He tweeted: "This shelter, Casa Padre, is the largest licensed childcare facility of its kind in the country. Nearly 1,500 boys 10-17 in here now. They’re supposed to sleep four to room. Nearly every room has 5. They’ve received a variance from the state because of overcrowding."

According to Soboroff, the center hosts a mix of children who showed up unaccompanied to the U.S. and children who were separated from their parents. They get only two hours a day outside and the rest of the time is spent in the facility. Rooms are supposed to host four kids, but due to overcrowding, they're currently packing five children.

Advocates expect that the number of children separated from their parents and placed in detention will continue to surge in upcoming months.

Ahead, a few ways in which you can help these families.

RAICES: This Texas-based organization offers free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children and families. Donate here and sign up as a volunteer here.

Pueblo Sin Fronteras: This organization provides humanitarian aid and shelter to migrants on their way to the U.S. Donate here.

Together Rising: This Virginia-based organization is helping provide legal assistance for 60 migrant children who were separated from their parents and are currently detained in Arizona. Donate here.

Al Otro Lado: This bi-national organization works providing legal services to deportees and migrants in Tijuana, Mexico, including deportee parents whose children remain in the U.S. Donate here.

The Florence Project: This Arizona-based organization offers free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in immigration custody. Donate here.

Texas Civil Rights Project: This organization has been using legal advocacy and litigation to help families separated at the border. Donate here.

Border Angels: This California-based organization supports San Diego County's immigrant population and focuses on issues related to the U.S.-Mexico border. Donate here.

Neta: This Texas-based grassroots organization helps asylum seekers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Donate here.

South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR): This project of the American Bar Association is currently supporting over 1,000 unaccom­panied children in detention centers across South Texas. Donate here.

Fronterizo Fianza Fund: This project, ran by the Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee, assists families in coming up with the bond amount needed for a detained immigrant to be released. Donate here.

National Immigrant Justice Center: This Heartland Alliance program fights for policy reform and provides legal services to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Donate here.

Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center: This El Paso-based organization provides legal representation to migrants who otherwise can't afford it. Volunteer here and donate here.

More ways to help: ActBlue Charities has set up a link that allows you to donate to eight different organizations, including the ACLU, United We Dream, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project. Donate here.

Don't underestimate the power of pressuring your elected representatives. There are several bills and resolutions floating around Capitol Hill to prohibit family separations at the border and support migrant children, including the Senate Democrats' Keep Families Together Act and the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act.

Read our guide to contacting Congress here.

The coalition Families Belong Together has organized rallies and vigils in dozens of cities across the country. Find one of their events near you here and check out our list of upcoming protests here.