In a newly released
policy statement, the Academy urges that immigrant and refugee children be
treated with dignity and respect, with care that supports their health and
wellbeing.
Amid turmoil caused by new federal executive orders targeting immigrants and
refugees and calling for vast expansions to the detention of immigrants, the
American Academy of Pediatrics has called for the U.S. government to protect
vulnerable children who are fleeing violence and poverty from being
traumatized.
Immigrant children seeking safe haven in the United States should never be
placed in detention facilities, regardless of whether they arrive alone or are
accompanied by an adult, according to a new policy statement published by the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Children should never be separated from
their families, according to the statement.
The policy statement recommends that immigrant children be treated with dignity
and respect, and urges that they not be exposed to conditions that may further
harm or traumatize them. The statement, "Detention of Immigrant Children,"
to be published in the April 2017 issue of Pediatrics (online March 13) reports
that the Department of Homeland Security facilities for temporary housing of
immigrants do not meet basic standards regarding the care of children in
residential settings.
"We know that children can overcome stress when they feel safe and have
enduring, supportive relationships with caregivers," said Julie Linton,
MD, FAAP, chair of the AAP Immigrant Child Health Special Interest Group, a co-author
of the policy statement and assistant professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest
Baptist Medical Center. "All children deserve to be healthy and
safe."
Media Relations
Marguerite Beck: marbeck@wakehealth.edu, 336-716-2415