Protect Refugee and Vulnerable Children 

Children fleeing violence and persecution need urgent protection. Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) accompanies and serves refugees in 58 countries, advocating for policies that uphold human dignity and safeguard the most vulnerable. Today, we urge you to stand with refugees, forcibly displaced, and vulnerable children by calling on Congress and the Administration to take immediate action. 

Why This Matters 

Current policies threaten the safety and well-being of children seeking refuge. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) emphasizes the need for immigration policies that strengthen families, promote humanitarian protections, and limit detention—especially for children. We need your help to ensure these protections are upheld. 

What Needs to Change? 

JRS urges policymakers to support four critical measures that protect vulnerable children: 

1. Restore the Central American Minors (CAM) Program: The CAM program reunites children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with their lawfully present parents in the US Recent executive action suspended it, leaving families separated. It must be reinstated. 

2. Prioritize Family Unity in Immigration Policies: Over 5.5 million US citizen children live in mixed-status households. Instead of separating families, policies should create legal pathways for undocumented residents with good moral character. 

3. Expand Refugee Resettlement Programs: Children make up 40 percent of the world’s refugees. US refugee assistance and resettlement programs must be restored and expanded to offer life-saving protection. 

4. End Child Detention: No child should be placed in prison-like detention facilities. The US should abandon plans to expand family detention centers and prioritize alternatives that uphold children’s rights and dignity. 

Take Action

Use your voice to protect refugee and vulnerable children. Contact your Members of Congress and the Administration today to urge them to support these essential protections.