The Trump administration had originally ordered the separation of hundreds of families who’ve attempted to come into the United States illegally. The “zero-tolerance policy” that has been enacted by the administration prosecutes every adult individual who enters the country by crossing the border illegally. Since past laws have prohibited children from being prosecuted at the border, children have inevitably been separated from their families.

In June, the Trump administration ordered the permanent stoppage of the separation of families at the border. Judge Dana Sabraw of California, who has been overseeing the lawsuit initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against the government, had previously determined that the Trump administration must reunite all children under the age of five with their families by July 10 and all children over the age of five with their families by July 26. The Trump administration did not adhere to either of the two deadlines, which has left hundreds of helpless children alone without their families.

However, ordinary citizens have begun to assist these needy families in finding their children since the government has failed to completely do so. On August 6, 2018, a University of Michigan law professor, Beth Wilensky, tweeted about how she and her husband donated a portion of their unused frequent flier miles to help a three-year-old boy be reunited with his family. Her tweet went viral and, in a matter of hours, hundreds of thousands of people around the world expressed interest in donating their frequent flier miles to help more children.

In her tweet, Ms. Wilensky provided a link to an organization, Miles4Migrants, a two-year-old organization which helps hundreds of refugees and other children who have been separated from their families be reunified with them. Since Ms. Wilensky’s tweet went viral, the organization received more than 28 million airline miles from donors all over the world. However, the organization has not done much work in the United States. The large influx of donated miles will help the organization establish a reputation within the United States and help children that have been separated from their families at the border.

Facing deportation, separation at the border or another immigration issue can be taxing on an individual’s well-being. If you or a loved one is a non-citizen and are concerned about immigration issues that you may be facing, it is imperative that you consult an experienced New York immigration lawyer who can advise you of your legal rights and potentially help you find available pathways to legal residency and citizenship. The New York immigration lawyers at Bretz & Coven, LLP have years of experience representing clients in complex immigration cases. With two immigration law offices located in New York City and Clark, New Jersey, the firm’s attorneys are available to assist individuals throughout the tri-state area with their immigration matters. For more information or to schedule a consultation with our New York City immigration lawyers, call (212) 267-2555 or fill out our contact form.