Announcement

STATEMENT: NMGC President and Member Orgs Call to Action to Address Family Separation Crisis at the U.S. Border

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2018

STATEMENT: NMGC President and Member Organizations Call to Action to Address Family Separation Crisis at the U.S. Border

As news of the Executive Order stopping its own Administration’s policy of separating families at the border begin to surface, Jessica Peñaranda, President of the National Multicultural Greek Council, and the Council’s member organizations, issued the following statements:

“All people have the human right to migrate. While borders are socially-constructed barriers, denying humans of the ability to seek refuge from the dangers they may be facing is harmful to our global community. Our country is now facing a crisis due to a policy choice, not a legal one, that calls into question basic human decency and universal human rights principles. However, it is deeply hypocritical to not address the root causes of forced migration from nations where countries like the United States have themselves had a heavy hand in pushing communities to migrate after destabilizing their home economies. If we as a nation value the human rights of children and families, we must join in calling for the immediate end of the ‘zero tolerance’ policy currently allowing for the separation of families, demand more humane treatment of individuals who seek refuge and protection from the perils they face in their home countries that doesn’t involve being held indefinitely in detention, and push for the abolishment of criminal immigration policies that create the vulnerabilities, risk, violence, and trauma migrant and refugee/asylum-seeking communities have to endure.”

Delta Sigma Chi Sorority, Inc. President Nefertiti Star Middleton:

“In today’s society, majority of prudent citizens do not mirror our political leaders concerning humanity. In particular with the Trump administration and their atrocity of transporting immigrant parents attempting to cross the U.S. borders into jail. We as a community stand for zero tolerance of how families nationally and internationally have been affected. Sadly, to hear the media update the public with the increase of children constantly being separated from their parents result in lugubrious outbursts. President Trump has an ebullient persona concerning this dilemma. Evidently, this obfuscate the true meaning of the Supreme law of the land.”

Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc. President Victoria J. Valdez:

“Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc. stands in solidarity with immigrant families that have been separated in their search for sanctuary. We believe the separation of these families and incarceration of these children is a violation of human rights. We encourage our sisters, community and politicians in power to work to change the policy that allows this to occur.”

Gamma Eta Sorority, Inc. National President Claudia Reyes-Rios:

“Gamma Eta Sorority, Inc. strongly denounces this administration’s zero tolerance immigration policy, the practice of separating children from their parents, and the inhumane conditions in which these children are expected to live. These immoral, traumatic, and cruel actions do not represent our country’s values in any way. We call on Congress to put an end to family separations, dismantle all existing detention centers, and reunite the innocent affected families.”

Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority, Inc. National President Keosha Griffiths:

“The crisis at the U.S border is absolutely heartbreaking, unacceptable and utterly reprehensible. It’s so sad to know that we just celebrated two major holidays that are centered on family, yet our government think that it is okay to separate young children from their families and place them in inhumane living conditions. Unfortunately, this is not a new practice in United States history, but this is a deplorable practice that needs to change now.” Lambda Sigma Gamma Sorority, Inc. strongly opposes this policy, as it is not conducive to meaningful immigration reform. We strongly encourage our sisters to call on government officials to help change and challenge this policy. We support the efforts of all organizations working on the grounds to reunite families. Click here to read the full statement.

Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. President, Ashley Brevil:

“The standards of care for these children must be equal to that expected in our current child welfare system, which, at a minimum, should include access to a safe environment appropriate for families, age-appropriate services including education, trauma-informed mental and other health services, and family-based legal and immigration counseling. We urge the administration and Congress to immediately put into place the laws, processes, and resources that will ensure the health, safety, and well-being of children and not be harmful and traumatizing to them, and stand ready to work with them to implement such policies. We must ensure all our actions are grounded in the humanitarian values we have long held as a nation.” Click here to read the full statement.

Psi Sigma Phi Multicultural Fraternity, Inc. President Ceasar Castro:

“While immigration remains a very complex issue and topic, a child’s right to be protected and safety rises over any party or political affiliation. Currently, there’s no federal law mandating parents and children be separated at the border. This policy clearly sets out to utilize innocent children to move forward with the administration’s immigration agenda. Our country’s economy and social fabric has thrived under millions of immigrants from all walks of life. We pride ourselves as the world’s innovator, clearly this administration’s policies continues to set us back and create resentment and insecurity in our nation and the geopolitical Arena. We publicly condemn this policy and encourage our brothers, community leaders and administrators to contact their state representative and urge them to put an immediate stop to this policy.” Click here to read the full statement.

Phi Sigma Chi Multicultural Fraternity, Inc. President Jerron John:

“Phi Sigma Chi Multicultural Fraternity, Inc. rejects the  zero tolerance policy being enacted by the federal government towards immigrants. As a multicultural fraternity we understand the significance of living in a world with all people rather than dividing ourselves over superficial differences originating from hate. We empathize with all those who are affected by the enforcement of this administrations deplorable policies and firmly reject the notion that these actions are the way to deal with any human being regardless of their immigration status.”

Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. President Amanda Pohl:

“The crisis at the U.S. border is unconscionable, immoral and profoundly in opposition to every semblance of family values that our nation’s leaders pride themselves on. As a multicultural organization, we call on Congress to take action to end this intentionally created humanitarian crisis seeped in racism and reunite immigrant families seeking asylum. These families have fled violence only to find trauma and violence from those who are supposed to help.” Click here to read the full statement.

For more information or to speak to an NMGC representative, please contact Tanya Arditi Saavedra, Public Relations Coordinator, at pr@nationalmgc.org.

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The National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC) is an umbrella council for a coalition of Multicultural Greek-Letter Organizations (MGLOs), established in 1998. The purpose of NMGC is to provide a forum that allows for the free exchange of ideas, programs, and services between its constituent fraternities and sororities; to promote the awareness of multicultural diversity within collegiate institutions, their surrounding communities, and the greater community-at-large, and to support and promote the works of its member organizations.