Speaking Out Against Forced Family Separation

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 10:36:24 -0400
diversity, human, immigrants, inclusion, rights, safe, space

Dear Members of the UMBC Community,

We have watched with grave concern as children have been forcibly separated from their parents at the southern border as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s new “zero tolerance” immigration policy. In the past six weeks, officials have removed thousands of children from their parents and sent them to shelters as their parents (including many asylum seekers) await potential prosecution for illegal entry.

We join educators across the nation in strongly condemning this new policy and the resulting separation of families. The American Psychological Association, citing empirical evidence, has voiced strong concern that forced family separation can lead to emotional trauma in children and can threaten their mental and physical health. The National Association of Social Workers calls the policy “harmful” and “unconscionable,” and writes that it “directly imperils the health and safety of immigrants.”

As we have said before, UMBC is and always will be a community that values inclusion, diversity, and respect for all people. We must affirm these values through both our words and our actions.

We urge the Department of Justice to reverse this policy immediately, and all government agencies involved to work toward reuniting families as quickly as possible.

President Freeman Hrabowski and Provost Philip Rous