Hi, I'm Amanda and I've been painting a new watercolor daily since July 18th, 2019. Each includes a quote by or about a person detained at the border.

A few things upfront:

There is nothing a child can do to deserve the treatment described in this thread.

If you disagree, just go ahead and block me now, we're not going to get along.

Yes, I know Obama built cages and committed mass deportations. That was awful, and not the right thing.

BUT

Not a single child died in CBP custody in 10 years, 8 Obama and 2 Bush, before this admin

Since 2016, at least 7 children have died in CBP custody. That we know about. We often find out after the fact, when a different investigation forces them to disclose. (see https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jessmoralesrocketto/remember-their-names)

AND

Obama never separated a child from an adult *known* to be a family member without a criminal suspicion of the adult.

0 Tolerance is designed as a deterrent - it is a *known* cruelty designed to make fleeing to safety in the US unattractive. We are tormenting fleeing families.

Finally, if you don't care because these are little brown kids who didn't deserve to be born in the US (what did you do to deserve it?), I leave you with this. Now, for the paintings.

Day 1: “There are no activities, only crying.”
-15 year old detained in Texas

https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-1-july-18-2019/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0O3Rl8hGfR/ 

https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109074403807015/?type=3&theater

Day 2: "We sleep on a cement bench”
-8 year old detained in TX

Website with source - https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-2-july-19-2019/
IG- https://www.instagram.com/p/B0O3rSjBmEh/ 
FB - https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109075140473608/?type=3&theater

Day 3: "They leave babies, even little babies of two or three months, sleeping on the cold floor. For me, because I am so pregnant, sleeping on the floor is very painful for my back and hips. I think the guards act this way to punish us.”

M, 17, Honduras
https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-3-july-20-2019/

Day 4: "It is very sad here. We all want to leave.”

– L.G.L.L., 12, Guatemala

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-4-july-21-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0O4sc1BTDt/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109076307140158/?type=3&theater

Day 5: “It’s difficult for me to care for my sisters here. It’s hard because they are very hungry”

-M, 12, from Ecuador, speaking of her 8 and 4 year old sisters

Site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-5-july-22-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0PKLLBBGzf/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109133530467769/?type=3&theater

Day 6: “One of the officers makes fun of those who cry”
-Salvadoran teen

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-6-july-23-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0SG6PLjRUb/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109169480464174/?type=3&theater

Day 7: “The conditions within which they are held could be compared to torture facilities.”
-Dolly Lucio Sevier, MD, pediatrician who treated children held at Ursula Border Processing Center in McAllen, TX

Site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-7-july-24-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109170170464105/?type=3&theater

Day 8: “I want to leave this place with my sisters as quickly as possible. Children should not be here.”

-12 year old from Ecuador held in Clint, TX

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-8-july-25-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0XOu7CBBmZ/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109172877130501/?type=3&theater

Day 9: “I have not been told how long I have to stay here. I am frightened, scared and sad.”
-J, 5 year old from Honduras who was separated from his father at the border

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-9-july-26-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Z1kcrHJLB/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109174600463662/?type=3&theater

Day 10: “It is always cold in the cage. They took my nephew’s clothes when we arrived at Ursula because they were wet, and gave him a t-shirt, which is not enough to keep him warm.”

-E, 17, Guatemala and nephew, 8

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-10-july-27-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109177620463360/?type=3&theater

Day 11: “Nobody takes care of us here. I try to take care of my little brother and sister since no one will take care of them."
-K from Ecuador, 11, speaking of his 9 and 7 year old siblings
site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-11-july-28-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0hbT46nnqd/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109177620463360/?type=3&theater

Day 12: “Every night my sisters keep asking me, ‘When will our mommy come get us?’ I don’t know what to tell them.”

-M, 12, from Ecuador speaking of her 8 and 4 year old sisters
site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-12-july-30-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B0kFtqJHKGt/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109177917129997/?type=3&theater

Day 13: “I have to take care of many of the other children who are sad and cry. I do my best to help other children who are sad.”

-W, 12, Guatemala, taking care of his 4 yo developmentally delayed brother as well as other toddlers/children in his cell
https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-13-july-31-2019/

Day 14: “The facility is locked. I cannot leave. I was warned that I would get in trouble. One of the other teen boys got into trouble, and we were told that he was taken to the freezer box, hieleras, as punishment.”

-U, Teenager, El Salvador
http://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-14-august-1-2019/

Day 15: “The toilets were very dirty. Sometimes there was toilet paper but sometimes there was not. There was not usually water for us to wash our hands.”

-Josselin, 13, Honduras

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-15-august-2-2019/
FB: http://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109196070461515/?type=3&theater

Day 16: “The female guards were yelling at the mothers separated from their children not to look at their children... The female guards told the mothers and children that they would be punished for looking at each other.”

-Lidia, 22, El Salvador

https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-16-august-3-2019/

Day 17: “My daughter began to cry when I was taken away to another room. When she walked over to the closest fence...the official yelled at my daughter... 'Do you want to get yourself deported right now?!’"
-Dilsia, adult, Honduras
https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-17-august-4-2019/
https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109199987127790/?type=3&theater

Day 18: "officers came into the room and started taking everything away. They took pillows and blankets... He said that we were going to sleep on the floor. He said it was punishment”
-G, 7, El Salvador
full story/site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/03/day-18-august-5-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109247557123033/?type=3&theater

Day 19: “I left El Salvador because I received death threats because I am gay. The same people who threatened me beat one of my transsexual friends to death. I was scared they also would beat me to death and would harm my daughter.”
-Ana, 27, child, 6

https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-19-august-6-2019/

Day 20: “My son is badly traumatized...He wonders when we will get to the United States. I do not tell him that we are already here. He wouldn’t believe that the United States would treat us this way.”

Full story: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-20-august-7-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109253117122477/?type=3&theater

Day 21: “I do not understand why but whenever I would try to fall asleep a police would come and kick me in the feet to wake me up. Once I would wake up they would walk away.”
-Josselin, 13, Honduras

Hear the full dec read here: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-21-august-8-2019/
FB: http://shorturl.at/bmGOQ 

Day 22: “The female guards yelled at my daughter a lot, called her names and made fun of her and the other children."
-Daise, adult, speaking of her 16 year old daughter Keylin

More of the story: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-22-august-9-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B09rSyQHz9t/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109254570455665/?type=3&theater

Day 23: “The female guards made me and the other girls strip naked in front of them and leered at us before their showers. It was very uncomfortable and caused me a lot of anxiety.”

-Keylin, 16, Daise’s daughter

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-23-august-10-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109255107122278/?type=3&theater

Day 24: “There was water in the cell…it tasted funny, like chlorine, like it came from a pool. I only drank from it twice because I didn’t trust it.”

-Justin, 13, El Salvador

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-24-august-11-2019/
Sticker: http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109255433788912/?type=3&theater

Day 25: “My son and the other children [were not able] to eat the food so they were always hungry.”

-Cristobal, adult, Guatemala and his 7 year old son

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-25-august-12-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1Fa_TfHrA8/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109256270455495/?type=3&theater

Day 26: “The cold was unbearable. My son is still suffering from a terrible cough and cold from how cold the dog house was those 4 nights.”

-Delmis, adult, Honduras w/9 yo daughter and 2 yo son

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-26-august-13-2019/
Postcards (set 1): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8

Day 27: “Later that day, I saw officials leading my son somewhere. I asked where they were taking him, but they would not tell me...I was devastated.”
-Ruth, Honduras and her 7 yo son
https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-27-august-14-2019/
https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109284713785984/?type=3&theater

Day 28: “I just want to leave and feel free.”
- Bridis, adult fleeing gangs and domestic violence in Honduras with her 4 year old son

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-28-august-15-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1NTtIbH804/ 
postcards (set 1): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109301440450978/?type=3&theater

Day 29: “How is it possible that my son was suffering these things? My son is little and couldn’t defend himself.”
-Guatemalan father separated from his 7 yo

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-29-august-16-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1PtehknQnw/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109302213784234/?type=3&theater

Day 30: “I have not seen sunlight since I have been staying in the camp.”

-Timofei, 16 fleeing religious persecution in Russia

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-30-august-17-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1SO_evHn7S/ 
Postcards (set 1): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109302710450851/?type=3&theater

Day 31: “I’m separated from my mother and father. That really wears me down and weighs on my soul.”
-Timofei, 16, Russia
site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-31-august-18-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1U_RG0n6Tw/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109303193784136/?type=3&theater

Day 32: “I was once chased down and assaulted by the Maras [gang] and was knocked unconscious and my daughter suffered an attempted kidnapping by the Maras.” -Lourdes, Honduras, speaking of her 5 year old

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/day-32-august-19-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109303543784101/?type=3&theater

Day 33: “My son was coughing, vomiting and had a fever. They did not give him any medicine.”

-Jeydi and her 4 year old son, Honduras

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/day-33-august-20-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1aCo9AnaeW/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109304097117379/?type=3&theater

Day 34: “There is no freedom here.”

-Elmer, 15, Honduras

At the time of his declaration he’d been in custody 6 months.

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/day-34-august-21-2019/
postcards (set 3): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109304797117309/?type=3&theater

Day 35: “I know I’m not from this country, but why am I treated like this? We’re not animals. I can’t bear it anymore.”

-Jimena, adult, Honduras

site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/day-35-august-22-2019/
Postcards (set 3): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1fML25Hwsp/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109403950440727/?type=3&theater

Day 36:
“The guards call all the Guatemalans “burros” or stupid or they say we don’t understand anything.”

-Erick, 16, Guatemala

Site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/day-36-august-23-2019/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109510457096743/?type=3&theater
Postcards (set 1): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1hwBIHHvsU/ 

Day 37:
“I try to behave well so that I don’t suffer.”

-Dennis, 16, Honduras

Site: https://nomorekidsincages.wordpress.com/2019/10/06/day-37-august-24-2019/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1kcLl4HKuK/ 
FB: https://www.facebook.com/nomorekidsincages/photos/a.109074520473670/109510950430027/?type=3&theater
Postcards (set 3): http://forms.gle/t1W8vTRKkabN7YHK8