Permisos
Can anything be worse than yelling "FIRE" in a crowded theater?
How about yelling, "PERMISOS" in violent, gang-ridden Central America?
Under U.S. immigration law, Mexican or Canadian children who enter illegally and alone can be returned immediately. However, children from elsewhere cannot be removed immediately and must first be taken into U.S. custody. - Los Angeles Times, June 21, 2014
Throughout Central America word is spreading that the United States is offering free passes (permisos) to stay in the U.S. with a family member if a child finds his or her way across the border and is alone.
The misunderstanding comes from the fact that the U.S. has agreements with Canada and Mexico regarding children who arrive here alone, but not with these troubled countries in Central America, where gang initiation practices and shootings have torn children from their parents in the hope of saving their lives.
What is not clearly understood is the process for dealing with these children. Children who cannot be returned immediately and taken into custody and given a notice to appear in Immigration Court. The child can then ask to stay. The Immigration Judge makes the final determination, whether they will be deported or put in the care of family here in the U.S..
Add to that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act which allows for delaying deportation for these children, and you have the situation we are in, with a 90% increase in the number of children crossing the border this year over the year before.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." - Luke 18:16
Humanitarian and religious groups are upset and want something done, but what?
Diplomacy focused on getting these Central American governments to crack down on drugs, gangs and violence is not a quick fix, nor is it likely to work at all with such a long history of corruption in many Central American countries.
Pictures of children sleeping on the floors at detention centers and reports of buses and planes arriving in Arizona depositing kids at public transportation hubs have the effect of pulling us apart and stirring up emotions for and against any possible solution, of one does exist.
We can continue to fool ourselves into thinking every problem can be solved with a new law or Presidential executive order, but it doesn't work that way.
In this age of high speed global communication, every voice can be heard. That is a good thing because it brings these issues to light, but it can also be dangerous. As dangerous as yelling in a theater.
As Christians and as a greater community of caring Americans, we will mobilize and offer aid in all forms from dollars to hours of volunteer help in shelters. Groups will even travel to Central America in the hope of helping at the source, and lives will be changed.
This is what we do, in our effort to bring the children of God to a place of peace and love where they can grow.
I don't have answers, but I do believe the questions will lead to actions and I pray the things we do are right in God's eyes.
More to come...
Image credit: Photos from a Google search on the children.