I’m a Parent. So Are They. That Should Be Enough.
Headlines about “Alligator Alcatraz” and our treatment of immigrants have shaken me.
I’m a mom. It’s the most important job I’ve ever had. I would do anything to protect my kids. Anything.
And I’m lucky. I live in a safe community. I grew up comfortably. I had access to a good education, quality healthcare, and the support I needed when I gave birth (though I will save my commentary on postpartum care).
But if violence came to my doorstep, I wouldn’t hesitate. I would cross rivers, mountains, and borders to keep my children safe. Because that’s what parents do. I suspect anyone who’s ever loved a child would do the same.
So why do we struggle to extend that same empathy to families who come to this country fleeing danger?
It’s well-documented that the majority of undocumented immigrants are not criminals. They are parents, workers, neighbors—people who came here to build a better life, often at unimaginable risk, simply to protect their children.
And yet, in the greatest country in the world, we detain them in inhumane conditions. We deport them from classrooms. We tear parents away from jobs and homes and communities they’ve helped build. For what?
For the past few weeks, “Alligator Alcatraz”—a Florida immigration detention center—has been in the headlines. Reports have described disturbing conditions: lack of food, inadequate hygiene, no access to necessary medications. The men held at this facility are people. Many of them are fathers—men who made the same impossible decision I hope I’d have the courage to make if necessary: to risk everything for their children’s future.
Do we need immigration laws in this country? Of course.
But we also need to access our humanity.
We need to:
Offer due process
Provide a path to legal immigration
Grant asylum to those fleeing violence
Keep families together
Treat people like human beings
There is no public benefit to these policies of cruelty. Only harm.
Where is our humanity?
I’m a parent. And so is the woman walking countless miles with her baby strapped to her chest. And the man sleeping on a cot in a detention center, praying he’ll see his children again.
This Substack is primarily focused on growing a small business. But it’s also about navigating what it means to be a parent in complicated times. I’m fortunate that most of my challenges are solvable. But that doesn’t mean I’ll look away when others—especially fellow parents—are being punished simply for trying to protect their children.
Take Action Now:
🧷 Donate to RAICES or KIND for immigrant legal aid
☎️ Call your representatives with 5 Calls - you can use its script here to oppose the Administration’s attacks on immigrants
👐 Find a local volunteer opportunity - there are several opportunities here, though you could consider doing some digging to find something specific to your community.
🛍️ Support immigrant-owned businesses
📢 Share this post or talk about it in your circles
I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: parents everywhere are trying to do right by their kids. And that’s something worth fighting for.
I’d love to know—how do you talk to your kids (or yourself) about these issues?