Children's Project
Protecting Children from Harm While Keeping Families Together
The Unthinkable Need
We have all heard the stories and seen the photos of children detained at our border without dignity or compassion and families forcibly separated with no clear process for reunification. We do not believe that children should be punished for seeking safety or that children should remain detained when there is an appropriate family member or guardian willing to care for them. The Children’s Project protects children from harm while keeping families together.
Free Legal Representation
The Children’s Project provides free direct legal representation to immigrant kids who entered the U.S. without a parent or legal guardian and who remain in federal custody in the Mid-South or who have been placed with family or vetted “sponsors” throughout the region. MIA defends these children against deportation while helping them obtain lawful permanent residency in the U.S.
Legal Orientation Services
Our Children’s Project also provides legal orientation services to the families and sponsors caring for children who are navigating the immigration system. The legal system is confusing enough for those who were born in the U.S. and have lived here all of their lives. This confusion is compounded when contending with cultural, economic, and linguistic barriers—and the fear of deportation. We have empowered over 1,200 families by helping them wade through the words, the papers, and the process so they understand their children’s options in immigration court.