KIDS IN NEED OF DEFENSE (KIND)

The DWCNV welcomed Jason Boyd, Vice President of U.S. Federal Policy at KIND, to our meeting on September 14.

KIND’s mission is to ensure the protection of children alone in their search for safety. They represent unaccompanied minor children coming to the United States with legal protection, advocacy programs, psychosocial programs, and by working with global partners to ensure the safety and well-being of children traveling alone in search of a haven. KIND puts constant pressure on Congress to protect the rights, safety, and well-being of children who are alone in their search for safety.

Here’s how you can help:

• Tell your Senators to support the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, which guarantees counsel for unaccompanied children in immigration court.

• Tell your Senators and members of the House of Representatives to support the Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act (PVIYA)- this bicameral bill would make it easier for immigrant children who have survived parental abuse to stay safe in the U.S. while waiting for a green card.

• Encourage your representatives to conduct Congressional oversight of this administration’s destructive policies, such as new forms of family separation; deportation of unaccompanied children without court hearings, and the unprecedented pay-to-play legal protection system established under the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, which charges children many thousands of dollars to access humanitarian protection in the U.S.