cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/42834907
“The reason we’re here is because the government of the United States wants you to leave the United States,” Judge Ubaid ul-Haq, presiding from a courtroom on Varick Street, told a group of about a dozen children on a recent morning on Webex.
The parties included a 7-year-old boy, wearing a shirt emblazoned with a pizza cartoon, who spun a toy windmill while the judge spoke. There was an 8-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister, in a tie-dye shirt, who squeezed a pink plushy toy and stuffed it into her sleeve. None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys, only shelter workers who helped them log on to the hearing.
Immigrant advocates and lawyers say an increasing number of migrant children are making immigration court appearances without the assistance of attorneys, which they say will lead to more children getting deported.
“That child will be ordered deported from this country — that could all happen without that child ever speaking with an attorney and given the opportunity to obtain representation,” Shah said. “The cruelty is really apparent to all of us out here in the field.”
holy shit
Judge: I will help you since you have no lawyer.
4 year old girl: No habla Engles
following translated:
Judge: Where were you born?
girl: I don’t remember. I was too young.
Judge: If you show me a US birth certificate or SS ID card, I can help you not be deported.
girl: uhhh… what? what is words?
If the parents are being deported anyway, why don’t they let their children go with them?
If a 4 year old (with her 8 yo sister next to her) is unable to realise and say that they had some papers related to their birth, which were separated from them (probably confiscated by the ICE and disposed off) I’d say, it’s better for them to be deported.
Hopefully to a country with lesser brain-rot/poison in the water. Really, someone (country) just come and accept the children already. They need a better place than that.
Even better. Once they are accepted in a more reasonable country, they might have a better chance at reuniting with their parents.
I’d say, this is a good time for action for governments that are looking for more next-generation population.
It’s helpful when someone who is going to say something dumb says, “I didn’t read the article and will now assume what it said,” in their opening sentence. Thank you internet dumb person, thank you.
There are no guardians, that is the point. The adults that were helping were lawyer groups to help discover if these children were, oh, idk, born here and thus citizens of the country under the US Constitution. Trump de-funded that group. So now a four year old is appointed as their own lawyer. Government Efficiency at its finest!
Imagine (please don’t hurt your brain, it’s okay if you can’t imagine, you are doing your best) you are four, the police pick them up. They ask, “Please share with us your documents to prove your citizenship. No adult help allowed.” You’d be in Mexico too, probably smarter than you are now so hey maybe a positive outcome for you.
God damn, what an unempathetic illiterate asshole.
READ you stupid fuck. REAAAD.
Mate the 4 year old could just hire a lawyer like everyone else does. Why does the government need to help her? She was already born, now she should pull herself up by the bootstraps instead of asking for handouts.
You’re right, I didn’t think of that. Damn toddlers soaking up social services. I was wrong before, I apologize.