Today a small @ImmDef team, led by @L_Toczylowski & myself went to the Long Beach Convention Center to start providing KYRs to the children in ORR custody. Most children were too young to understand the KYR video that ORR had shown them during orientation.
(thread)

We weren't quite set up with tech today, so I pulled out my laptop and sat on the floor. I asked a small group where they thought we were. They didn't know. "What country are we in?" I asked. Someone said "Guatemala," in another group they said "Mexico." I pointed to a map.

We are here. The US! California. Los Angeles. Long Beach. I explained to them that they'd only be here temporarily, until their parents, family members, or other sponsors could be contacted and cleared, and then they'd join them.

I asked the kids if they knew where they were going. A small group said Houston. Others said Louisiana, Providence, Las Vegas... I pointed to each place on the map and they all leaned in to see, curious how far they were now from where they were headed.

I asked the children if they understood what "rights" ("derechos") were. They didn't know. I joked - is it like "left" (izquierdo) and "right" (derecho)? The older ones shook their heads "no."

Some of these tiny boys and girls looked smaller than my 4 year old, although they may actually be 8 years old. I couldn't help but think how helpless they must feel. How afraid. Confused. Siblings stayed close, leaning into each other and hugging.

I kept talking & joking through my KYR presentation to keep from breaking into tears imaging my own children in their shoes (even if they were glittery shoes that my daughter would love). Despite the heartbreak on their faces, they were so happy to finally be shown kindness.

The children easily opened up about how CBP barely gave them food, gave them "aluminum" blankets, made them sleep on the floor, woke them up in the morning with a megaphone, & threw cold water on kids who wouldn't get up. CBP has no business taking care of children.

I'm so grateful to be in California where we have leaders and a community that is willing to come together to ensure that these children are welcomed here. We need to get every child out of CBP custody and reunify them with family as quickly as possible.

Children shouldn't be in custody one minute longer than necessary to ensure their safe reunification with family. It is time to create a system that puts families first, ensures speedy reunification, and prioritizes community-based services & access to attorneys, over detention.