31: The Children: Alone In America

(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) In America, unaccompanied children are forced to represent themselves in immigration court. That's right. Children as young as infants to teenagers. Each year, thousands of immigrant children are placed into court proceedings in which government prosecutors seek to deport them unless those children can prove they have a right to stay in the United States. While the U.S. government may provide pillows and booster seats for children who are too small for the chairs in immigration court, the government does NOT have to give them an attorney to protect their rights.

In this episode, Reb tells these children's stories and interviews attorneys Amanda Doroshow and Lauren Esterle with the Acacia Center for Justice who have firsthand experience advocating for these children both inside the courtroom and beyond.

LINKS TO RESOURCES AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

https://acaciajustice.org/

https://acaciajustice.org/careers/students/

https://justicecorps.org/justice-fellowship/

Thank you to the Acacia Center for Justice, Amanda Doroshow, and Lauren Esterle for making this episode a reality. Your presence, advocacy, and brilliance is second to none.

0:00 - Intro

1:50 - Guillermo's Story

5:23 - The Law - Unaccompanied children in U.S. immigration court

7:51 - What rights do unaccompanied children have?

9:25 - Why lawyers are CRUCIAL

14:00 - Legally, what is an "unaccompanied child"?

16:25 - Recent cases on this issue - What do the courts say?

21:48 - Treatment of children in Juvenile Court v. Immigration Court

27:05 - Current policies are disconnected from common sense

29:05 - Reb speaks with attorney Amanda Doroshow from the Acacia Center for Justice

51:20 - Reb speaks with attorney Lauren Esterle with the Acacia Center for Justice

1:18:15 - Reb's Rebuttal

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