    My research question is what is the current situation for undocumented families crossing the United States with children? The reason why I chose this question is because I’m actually very interested to know what situation there in. I have been seeing a lot through the news and some on social media. How these families are being treated unfairly and being held for an extremely long period of time. Which is why I chose this question because in my research I want to go in depth and find out what’s actually happening after being caught at the border.
Department of Homeland Security. “Zero Tolerance Immigration Prosecutions – Family Fact Sheet.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 15 June 2018, www.cbp.gov/newsroom/zero-tolerance-immigration-prosecutions-family-fact-sheet.
In this Family Fact Sheet from the Department of Homeland Security states by law what are the procedures for immigrants crossing the border illegally. Anyone who enters the border illegally even with children will be prosecuted. After being prosecuted, any family involved will be separated from their parents. Children will be sent off to the department of health and human services. Also to the Office of Refugees Resettlement. These children are held in temporary shelters or hosted by an appropriate family. places. Where they take care of children’s medical care, mental health care, and educational programs. Also ICE will work on regular communication between parents and their children. Although all individuals that have entered illegally will be sent to the Department of Justice and present before a federal judge. Later the result made from a federal judge will be sent to ICE to follow up immigration proceedings. Although any individual that has been prosecuted for illegal entry can seek asylum and any other protection available under law. However, children can also present individual claims for asylum and may take separate immigration proceedings.
After reading the family fact sheet and knowing by law what the procedures have to be taken toward families and any individual that enters the country illegally. Which actually doesn’t seem the same procedures that are being taken at the border. According to the family fact sheet, “Children in HHS ORR custody are provided with appropriate care, including medical care, mental health care, and educational programs”. Considering from past research these children aren’t given all the care that they’re in title to. For example, mental health care and educational programs aren’t given to these undocumented children. While they are being held in these temporary shelters there are sleeping on the floors. Where there isn’t even enough space for these children to sleep. Let alone have space for educational programs they can atend to. Also there’s no mental health care given to these children because they spent all day in these shelters sitting quietly. Lastly, children shouldn’t be allowed to make their own claims without their parents. Mostly because their children are very young to understand. Which is why they should be with their parents and file claims together instead of separate. Children shouldn’t present themselves at federal judge without their parents.
     The rhetorical factor that this genre uses is that it’s a legal source. Meaning the agent from the Department of Homeland Security wrote this family fact sheet and based it on what the law states and what should be happening according to them.
“Children whose parents are referred for prosecution will be placed with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)”.
