Resolution to Reunite Detained Migrant Children with their Parents

Whereas the United States (US) has never ratified the United Nations (UN) Convention Rights of the Child, protecting children from discrimination based on their parent’s or legal guardian’s sex, race, religion, and other identifiers;

Whereas the US “zero tolerance policy” resulted in the criminalization of adults at the border and the traumatic separation of over 2,300 migrant children from their parents or legal guardians;

Whereas Executive Order 13841, Affording Congress an Opportunity to Address Family Separation (June 20, 2018), does not require that the already detained migrant children be reunited with their parents or their legal guardians;

Whereas “refugees should not be penalized for their illegal entry or stay,” and not be “charged with immigration or criminal offenses relating to the seeking of asylum, or being arbitrarily detained purely on the basis of seeking asylum,” (UN General Assembly resolution 429(V) of December 14, 1950);

Whereas the American Library Association has gone on record opposing the refugee family separation policy^[1]; now therefore, be it

Resolved, that the American Library Association (ALA), on behalf of its members:

1. reaffirms the “Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights” (2006-2007 CD #20.2);

2. reaffirms the “Resolution on Improving Access to Spanish, Bilingual, and Books in Various Languages for Children in Detention Centers” (2015-2016 CD#38);

3. calls on federal agencies to ensure that documentation of children and families is sufficient for the seamless reunification of families or their legal guardians;

4. requests that the U.S. government honor the UN General Assembly resolution 429(V) of December 14, 1950, regarding the legal status of refugees; and

5. urges its members to contact their elected officials at all levels to express their continuing concern regarding the criminalization and separation of refugee families at the border.