The separation of immigrant families is touching the hearts of people around the world. Hundreds of thousands of donations have rolled in, totaling more than $19.4 million in less than a week. The Facebook fundraiser is called “Reunite an immigrant parent with their child”.
The fundraiser launched on Sunday, June 17th and the target is rising. The goals have included $5 million, $8 million, and $15 million. Currently, the goal stands at a whopping $25 million and rising. The campaign money is going towards the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). RAICES is a non-profit that provides low-cost and free legal help to immigrant children, families, and refugees from Texas.
The Facebook movement started with help from Malorie Lucich and Dave and Charlotte Willner, original employees at Facebook and now workers at Pinterest.
The Willner’s issued the following statement:
“This is a reminder of the power we have when we all stand together against injustice and now RAICES work becomes more important than ever. However, a change in policy doesn’t automatically reunite these innocent children with their families or erase the trauma our government inflicted. These families will need legal representation, counseling and other crucial services that RAICES will be able to provide to more people and at a greater and faster scale than ever before because of these funds”
So far, RAICES has already hired new lawyers and have given money to parents so they can call their kids in detention centers.
Trump also weighed in:
“We have the worst immigration laws in the entire world. Nobody has such sad, such bad and, actually, in many cases, such horrible and tough – you see about child separation, you see what’s going on there.”
If you have any interest in donating, log into to Facebook and search RAICES fund.
Featured Image via Flickr/Fibonacci Blue
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