Melissa Adamson

Attorney at the National Center for Youth Law (@NCYLnews), Immigration Team. She/her/ella. Views are my own.

[The National Center for Youth Law @NCYLnews]

Did you know that this week, Congress will vote on whether to give $71 billion in NEW funding for more immigration enforcement and detention?

More money for ICE = more families and children in detention.

Tell your reps to fund care, not cages: https://t.co/53TAXqIhYh

[Rep. Pramila Jayapal @RepJayapal]

At my immigration hearing, Marion Donovan-Kaloust detailed her experience working with unaccompanied children and the horrors they’ve seen under Trump.

No child should have to go through this cruelty. It must end now.

[Rep. Pramila Jayapal @RepJayapal]

“The average time in custody for unaccompanied children has skyrocketed, from around 37 days to nearly 200 days.”

Neha Desai from the National Center for Youth Law has seen firsthand how the Trump admin has ripped families apart and the harm it has caused.

[Rep. Pramila Jayapal @RepJayapal]

Immigration detention is no place for a child.

[Eric Lee @EricLeeAtty]

A drawing made today by a 5 year old girl at Dilley detention ctr & member of the El Gamal family (mom & 5 kids detained for almost 8 months). This child turned 5 in detention & has spent almost 20 % of her life in jail.

"Let us go!"

[Eric Lee @EricLeeAtty]

I,'m told by detainees at Dilley that 80 pct of facility currently protesting--that would be ~1500. Guards physically blocking ppl from joining. Dozens of ICE CBP police cars racing to area. Detainees say protest triggered by news of events in Minneapolis & treatment of 5 yr old.

[Eric Lee @EricLeeAtty]

Listen to the sound of the ongoing demonstration by detainees over conditions at Dilley. Incredible courage from these families and children. You can tell by the sound of their voices that so many of those shouting "libertad" and "let us go" are children!! #abolishICE

[Priscilla Alvarez @priscialva]

Scoop: The Trump administration is moving to rapidly deport some migrant children who arrived in the US without a parent or guardian by having federal agents ask teens whether they want to voluntarily depart the country, I'm told. https://t.co/bkYvxWcBtM

[End SIJS Backlog Coalition @EndSIJSBacklog]

We are taking the Trump Administration to court for unlawfully terminating the SIJS Deferred Action Policy!

Today, the National Immigration Project, KIND, Public Counsel, Lowenstein Sandler, and Davis Wright Tremaine sued the Trump Administration on behalf of…

1/2

[Valerie Gonzalez @ValOnTheBorder]

Breaking: A lawsuit was just filed by @NCYLnews and Democracy Forward challenging ORR policies that have prohibited release of numerous children to their families.

In past 3 months, average custody times for children in ORR grew from 37 days to 112.

https://t.co/ykcti8oOuC

[Chris “Law Dork” Geidner @chrisgeidner]

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Judge Hannah Dugan, two-year-old V.L.M.

They are not outliers, exceptions, or aberrations. …

What we are witnessing is the Trump administration’s immigration plan in motion.

Today, at Law Dork: https://t.co/KrfqFFWLkh

[Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @ReichlinMelnick]

After having terminated lawyers for unaccompanied children, the government is now making toddlers represent themselves in deportation proceedings.

[The National Center for Youth Law @NCYLnews]

Because of the administration's harmful cuts to legal services funding for kids, immigrant children are left without support and representation. Our own Neha Desai, Managing Director of Children's Rights and Human Dignity, spoke with @CNN's @priscialva: https://t.co/2euX1Md1nI

[Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @ReichlinMelnick]

We are at a dangerous, dangerous moment in US history, where the President of the United States is threatening to send US citizens to be imprisoned by a foreign ally, and the foreign ally is saying it won't respect an US court orders to release people that it's holding.

[Nanette D. Barragán @RepBarragan]

This is a disgusting and a blatantly xenophobic and racist policy change by the Trump Administration. Who even comes up with a policy that makes kids represent themselves in court!!?? Truly awful.

[The National Center for Youth Law @NCYLnews]

Unlock critical legal resources for unaccompanied immigrant children! Our newly launched UC Legal Rights Library provides advocates with essential guides on youth rights, from healthcare to prompt release. Explore it at https://t.co/n3lbsV7DyY

[KIND @supportKIND]

Our statement: https://t.co/81eQBloPEi

[Children Thrive Action Network (CTAN) @LetKidsThrive]

The Trump admin is reinstating the dangerous practice of detaining families and children. Family detention is a traumatic experience that is never in the best interest of the children. No child should be behind bars. CTAN condemns this cruel practice.
https://t.co/OiYJ5i6C1F

[Senator Jeff Merkley @SenJeffMerkley]

We will not go back to the cruelty and depravity of Trump’s family detention policies. I will keep fighting for my Children’s Safe Welcome Act to keep kids in the care of the United States safe and to fix our broken immigration system so it respects the dignity of each person.

[Nanette D. Barragán @RepBarragan]

Trump and his morally reprehensible band of thieves, bullies, and liars have no bottom to their ugliness and depravity.

Removing legal representation from children - many who have fled violence & danger in their home countries - is just sick.