Sitting here this Mother’s Day week after spending time w/ my kids, & I can’t stop thinking about a little girl I met in Long Beach last week. She is only 7 years old. She came to US alone & one of the only things she carried was a cell phone that had her mom’s number saved in it

In KYR we ask kids where they plan to live with their sponsors/family when they reunify and we point out all the places on a big map. Amidst excited shouts of “Nueva Jersey” “Houston” “Florida, the little girl shouted “Mi mamá vive donde cae nieve!” (My mom lives where it snows)

During consulta after the presentation she explained that when CBP took the phone she begged to have it back so she could call mom. Of course, CBP being CBP, they ignored her and she never saw the phone again. In tears telling me how she tried to memorize the number but couldn’t

Heartbreakingly, she asked me what would happen if they can’t ever find mom. “Will I get adopted? Will I stay here forever?” I explained that there is no reason to give up hope, that lots of people will be looking for her mom. I told her she isn’t alone, we are here to help.

Her case is prime example of why CBP should NEVER have kids in their custody. HHS should co-locate at ports of entry so kids go directly to an agency w/ training & who will ultimately be responsible for reunification. I guarantee a social worker would never have tossed that phone

I have this little one on my list of kids to check up on. I will be talking case managers to see if we can help do anything to help find mom. We will check to see if by some miracle CBP still has the phone. And I hope next Mother’s Day she is home with her mom where she belongs.

Please share this w/ parents who need help locating their child in ORR custody. Parents can call hotline 24/7 & locate their children if they are in govt custody: (800) 203-7001.

Let’s get these kids home.

#FamiliesBelongTogether #VivaLasMadresMigrantes #DiaDeLasMadres