On July 10, pro-immigration reform organizations including the Chelsea Collaborative and the MIRA Coaltion will convene a roundtable discussion to tackle the issue of unaccompanied children illegally crossing the southern border.
From 3-5 p.m., this gathering will occur at the Collaborative’s Broadway location, where participants will develop approaches for assisting families and children affected by these border crossings.
According to the Collaborative, government data reveals a 92 percent surge in unaccompanied children crossing the southwestern border over the past year. These young people, ranging between ages 4 and 17, originate from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. A significant number have relatives already living in the United States, with some residing in the greater Boston region.
The roundtable will bring together legal service providers, community-based organizations, refugee resettlement agencies, immigrant advocacy agencies, Central American consulates and additional stakeholders to work toward solutions.
The Collaborative will follow the roundtable with a ‘Know Your Rights Immigration Summit’ at 5:30 p.m., held at Chelsea High School. This summit will examine the circumstances of unaccompanied children who have crossed the border and will include an update on deferred action, a program announced two years ago this summer.