How You Can Help Migrant Children Detained At The Border

Migrant children are facing horrifying conditions while in detention at Border Patrol facilities along the Southern border, including unsanitary environments, overcrowding, and cruel treatment.

Immigration advocates say that children are being kept in facilities that weren’t built with the purpose of holding adults for a long period of time, much less kids, or in tents. Several reports say minors have gone weeks in detention without access to adequate food, space to sleep, or even basic sanitary necessities such as soap or toothpaste — which is in direct violation of the 1997 Flores settlement agreement.

Dire conditions and mistreatment at detention facilities go back to long before the Trump administration. The immigration enforcement apparatus has been in place for years, through both Republican and Democratic administrations, although outrage at what many are calling human rights abuses has reached a fever pitch as President Donald Trump continues to push his hardline immigration agenda.

The issue is not limited to the border: Advocates, lawmakers, and historians have called immigration detention facilities across the nation currently holding children "concentration camps" and have demanded that the Trump administration take action.

Several of the 25 Democratic presidential candidates — including Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Kamala Harris; former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro; and South Bend, IN, Mayor Pete Buttigieg — visited Homestead, the nation's only private for-profit detention center for migrant kids and youth, following the first primary debate. During the second night of the debate, author Marianne Williamson said the conditions at the detention centers should be called "collective child abuse," while former Gov. John Hickenlooper said of separating migrant families: "In Colorado, we call that kidnapping."

While many of the candidates are promising to change the system when (or if) they are in office, this crisis can make many feel powerless. Some have even tried to directly donate diapers, soap, toothbrushes, and other necessities, only to be turned away by Border Patrol because federal agencies aren't allowed to legally accept donated items except in certain circumstances. So, how can you actually make a difference? Ahead, we outline several ways you can help today.

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.

KIND (Kids In Need of Defense): The organization provides legal representation to migrant children and lobbies to ensure their rights are protected. Donate here.

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

Al Otro Lado: This bi-national organization provides 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 people in immigration custody. Donate here.

Justice in Motion: Formerly known as Global Workers Justice Alliance, this group connects attorneys and nongovernmental organizations across the U.S., Mexico, and Central America to find parents who have been deported without their children and help them reunite. 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 group 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, run by the Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee, assists families in coming up with the bond money needed for a detained immigrant to be released. Donate here.

National Immigrant Justice Center: This 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, TX-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 14 different organizations, including the ACLU, United We Dream, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, and more. Donate here.

Don't underestimate the power of pressuring your elected representatives. On Thursday, Congress voted to pass a $4.6 billion humanitarian aid bill for the detained migrant children — a measure President Donald Trump is expected to sign. But there is still work to be done, and you should make your voice heard by reaching out to your lawmakers. If you don't know where to start, you can read our guide to contacting Congress here.

Here is a helpful guide to the journalists, advocates, and experts you should follow on Twitter to be up-to-date with everything related to the immigration system. You can also use social media to show your opposition to detention centers and signal-boost accurate information.

If you are worried about the impact of the immigration enforcement apparatus in your immediate community, you can attend Know Your Rights trainings in your area. These trainings inform you on what your constitutional rights are (regardless of your immigration status) and how to practice safe bystander intervention when needed.

If you're able and willing to, considering getting out there and protesting. MoveOn, United We Dream, American Friends Service Committee, and Families Belong Together are organizing nationwide #CloseTheCamps rallies to take place on Tuesday, July 2. Find an event near you here.