We are the Detained Children’s Program at CAIR Coalition. We work with immigrant children: children who are detained and those recently released to sponsors. The children we work with are brave and inspiring. But let me tell you about the awesome people who dedicate their lives each and every day to helping these children, our staff. There is a passion and fire in our staff members that drives them to go above and beyond for our clients. I see them, I hear them, and I have the profound pleasure of working with them.
Child clients often have issues that extend far beyond their immigration cases. I have seen staff fighting to get a child enrolled in school, go to the doctor, find a shelter to sleep in, or have their voices heard. It’s not as simple as one phone call. It may be 50 phone calls, letters, showing up in person, putting in hours outside of work. This is not part of their job description but they do this because they care.
CAIR Coalition’s staff knows that the children endure deep suffering to arrive here in search of a safe place. The United States should be a place that provides for children, empowers them, and inspires them to lead meaningful and productive lives without fearing for their basic safety. When I see our staff at work, I know that the children are being offered these opportunities. I do not think ‘proud’ fully captures how I feel about my colleagues. They are downright superheroes.
Purchase an item from our Amazon wishlist and give a gift to a child in detention.
