It is election season again. Many issues are at the forefront. The two main topics are health care and job growth/wages. These plus the debate about Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court have overshadowed an ongoing crisis at our border with Mexico.
According to the New York Times, "Population levels at federally contracted shelters for migrant children" reached 12,800 this summer. Shelters are reaching capacity, and the administration of President Donald Trump is building more even though fewer refugees are coming. Fewer children are being released to relatives because of the policy of requiring fingerprints before picking up a child, the newspaper reported. While this may protect some children from predators, many of these children's relatives are undocumented and are afraid of being deported.
This situation cannot go on any longer. Children in detention centers face many stressors. The longer they are held, the more the risk of emotional and psychological damage. Many of these centers are run by private companies and are very expensive.
We need to be asking candidates for office what they would see as a solution to this crisis. I personally will be contacting the offices of Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and will be asking the three congressional candidates what they would do. I encourage all readers to do the same.
Americans as a whole are humane people. We need to be showing our humanity.
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Sally Ockwig-Larson
Duluth
