As an Iowan parent of two undocumented children, I am dismayed by Gov. Kim Reynolds’ dismissal of Iowa’s role in housing unaccompanied migrant youth. “This is not our problem,” the governor said on the “Need to Know with Jeff Angelo” program last month.
The governor says that her priority is the health and safety of Iowans. The idea that helping these children sacrifices that health and safety is ridiculous.
I am a white parent of three biological children, and six years ago we invited two undocumented, unaccompanied Latino boys (ages 12 and 14) to join our family. We helped walk the boys through a legal process as their permanent legal guardians. One of the boys, Jose, continues to live with our family. He has graduated from high school in Orange City and is entering the workforce, and I now consider him my son. He has ongoing contact with his mom in Mexico and his undocumented sister and nephews who are also in our area.
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Becoming American: This unaccompanied minor nearly drowned coming to the US. Now he has a new life in Florida
Rick Jervis and Jasper Colt, USA TODAY
Published
12:51 pm UTC Apr. 16, 2021
Rick Jervis and Jasper Colt, USA TODAY
Published
12:51 pm UTC Apr. 16, 2021
The water was cool and dark and swirled around Francis Portillo as he waded into the Rio Grande.
Portillo, then 14 and all alone, felt the water rising to his chest, to his shoulders, to his chin. He began paddling to the other bank and made it more than halfway across, the United States and all its promises just a few feet away.
Unaccompanied minors: US border journey can be deadly for immigrants usatoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from usatoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.