(Washington)—In its latest move to quickly and unlawfully remove immigrant children from this country, ICE has begun offering children $2,500 if they agree to return to their country of origin. This is blatant bribery of minor children, many of whom fled dangerous situations in their countries of origin. This kind of coercive tactic is at odds with safeguards that apply to children who immigrated without a parent or legal guardian.
The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) calls on local, state and federal leaders to stand up and protect children against this unlawful ICE operation. We also call on the public to act: demand that your local and state leaders step in and stop this operation now. In this country, we believe that all children should be free from coercion and intimidation, and we call on our leaders to stand by these values.
We cannot let this kind of lawless operation become the norm. This callous administration is using immigrant children as leverage in its political agenda, disregarding their dignity, safety, and basic human rights.
Any child who receives this “offer” should fully discuss their legal options with an immigration lawyer before making a decision. Visit https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/ to find a trusted legal services provider in your area.
For anyone worried about the impact this could have on you or your loved ones, we invite you to visit our Know Your Rights page of our website.
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The Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) is a national nonprofit that works with immigrants, community organizations, legal professionals, and policy makers to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. Through community education programs, legal training & technical assistance, and policy development & advocacy, the ILRC works to protect and defend the fundamental rights of immigrant families and communities. Follow us at www.ilrc.org, and @the_ILRC on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and TikTok. Also follow us on Bluesky @the-ilrc.bsky.social, and on Facebook.