Come outside and be separated from your daughter, or stay inside and watch her suffer.
Wednesday, September 24
What happened? As a mother of young kids, I shouldn’t be shocked that it’s the ICE arrests that involve children that are the most emotional for me to watch, but I was still surprised when tears welled up when I watched this video out of Massachusetts. Please spend time watching it. It’s not physically violent, but I think watching it is more important than reading about it.
ICE agents kept this five-year-old autistic girl sitting outside her home for three hours while they tried to bait her parents into coming outside, so they could be sent to ICE detention. Her father has a pending asylum case with a court hearing scheduled for early next year.1 This means he went through the legal process of filing for asylum.2 He did what we ask immigrants to do — present themselves to the court so the legal system can play out.
The way these officers repeatedly bait him into coming outside, even after he offers to show his ID so his daughter can be brought inside, and then accuse him of not being a real man for being behind the door with his wife, is sickening. He is a father in an impossible situation — leave his daughter with the ICE agents outside, or come outside and likely be permanently separated from her. After hours of forcing this little girl to sit outside, watching men with guns taunting her parents, ICE agents took her away to the police station, where her grandmother was able to pick her up. Two days later, they ultimately did detain the father outside his home, and he’s now in ICE detention. Her mother told the news, “Since Edwards was detained, I have been unable to leave our home. Our house is surrounded, and I am afraid to take my children to school or even to the doctor if they get sick.”
How can I pray? Pray for this little girl, as she processes this experience, plus the experience of being separated from her father. Pray for all other children who have witnessed ICE arrests. May God comfort them in profound ways. Pray that these ICE agents will turn their hearts towards the humanity of the people they are arresting. May they not heap cruelty on top of an already difficult situation. Pray for the judge who will hear this father’s immigration case. Pray that we, as Christians, will fiercely protect and love immigrant children — knowing that children are particularly precious to Jesus.
What is one more thing I can do? This mother is afraid to leave her house right now. Do you know any immigrant families who are feeling fearful right now? Text them before your next grocery run, and ask if you can drop something off to them. Don’t know anyone in this position? Reach out to a local immigration nonprofit and see what they need!
If you watched the video all the way through, you’ll also see that he has previously been arrested, but the charges against him were dropped. This is important. ICE is not stopping him because of those prior charges. (He was already arrested, and then charges were not brought, so he was released.)
What has this country become? :'-( Not even an hour ago I got word of an ICE raid at our local Cheesecake Factory. Rapid response team is on the way -- but I am without words. People can't even eat in peace?? Or be in their own homes with their own children? Lord hear our prayer -- but hear *theirs* first.