American Nurses Association Calls for an Immediate End to Immoral and Cruel Practice of Separating Children from Their Families

CONTACT:

Shannon McClendon, 301-628-5391
shannon.mcclendon@ana.org

Joan Hurwitz, 301-628-5020
joan.hurwitz@ana.org

June 23, 2018

The 2018 ANA Membership Assembly endorsed by acclamation the following statement as adopted by the ANA Board of Directors:

The American Nurses Association (ANA) adamantly opposes the Administration’s policy and practices toward migrants and asylum seekers that result in the forcible separation of children from their families.  These actions put the welfare of immigrant children at risk and are causing irreparable harm, such as, negative physical and emotional symptoms from separation and detention, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.  Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security has already acknowledged that 1,995 children have been separated from their families at the U.S.–Mexico border between April 19 and May 31. ANA condemns the use of this policy to create a deterrent for those seeking a safer and better place to live and believes that children should never be used as leverage or as a negotiating tool.  The Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements (ANA, 2015) calls on all nurses to always act to preserve the human rights of vulnerable groups such as children, women and refugees.  The United States of America is better than this.  We cannot continue with a policy that is so immoral and cruel to children and families.

ANA calls for the following actions:

• Urges the Administration to immediately end the forced separation of children from families at the border;
• Calls for reunification of separated children and families without delay; and
• Calls on policymakers and administration officials to establish compassionate immigration policies that reflect the humanity and human rights of all people.

• Urges the appropriate government agencies to reveal the location of shelters and invite  humanitarian groups to provide physical, mental, and spiritual care to those children and families who have been forcibly separated at U.S. borders.

Nurses, who are knowledgeable about the care of children and families, stand ready to assist in providing care to meet the urgent and ongoing needs of this vulnerable population.