EDITOR:

Many of us wonder how we can help with the humanitarian crisis occurring at our borders. Living so far away, can we possibly make a difference in alleviating some of the pain and heart break experienced by refugee families seeking asylum in the U.S.?

We can help by making cash donations to nonprofit and church organizations which help provide legal services to families and refugees in crisis.

Parents in detention and separated from their children at the border cannot get released from ICE custody to reunite with their families until they pay the full amount of their immigration bond. Bonds are set at a minimum of $1,500, and are usually in the range of $5-10K, even for asylum seekers without any criminal history (raicestexas.org).

One of the organizations worth considering is the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES), a nonprofit advocacy group, which provides free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children, families and refugees. Services that RAICES provide may be the only hope for reuniting children with their parents.

Please join us in this cause by donating. Several online sites are set up at either raicestexas, Action Network or Facebook. Just type in “Donate Raices”.

Thank you for your consideration,

Vicki Volk McGaffigan, Bruce Hansen, Theresa Ross, Connie Osier and Nancy Beck

Escanaba