Karla Tiul Baltazar, a 10-year-old girl from Spokane, Washington, and her father, Arnoldo Tiul Caal, were sent to a detention center for families in South Texas even though Karla had a valid application for asylum, a work permit, and her Social Security number.
Karla had just come to school on January 9. A few minutes after she arrived, her dad was stopped by Border Patrol, who detained him. After waiting for many hours of fear that she would not be reunited with her father, Karla was returned to her dad after he was coerced into signing "voluntary departure" papers. Karla and her father were detained again the next day and transported over 1,000 miles to Dilley, Texas, where they will wait for their court date in March.
In Columbia Heights, Minnesota, at least four other children, including five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, were detained while law enforcement officials attempted to create pressure for families by using children as leverage to execute warrants during raids on homes.
These are not isolated incidents. Federal enforcement actions currently being targeted against students, parents, and community members without warrants are cultivating a state of fear and intimidation to prevent children from attending school and families from moving out of fear of detainment.
Children and families seeking safety from persecution should never be harmed by governmental authority and have legal status to not have to fear being detained. It is unacceptable for Karla Tiul Baltazar to be in the classroom of her school located in Spokane, Washington, and for Liam Conejo Ramos to be safe at home after preschool, and it is unacceptable to treat these families in this manner
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