In 2015, the IRC in NY began a new program to serve unaccompanied minors as part of a partnership with Heartland Alliance.  Unaccompanied minors are undocumented children who have entered the United States without a parent or legal guardian and then enter the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement.  A large number of these children are from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador; children also come from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other countries. These individuals have left their native countries to come to the U.S. for a variety of reasons but are most often escaping from a lack of economic and educational opportunities and worsening gang violence. If a child identifies a sponsor in the New York City area, the IRC in NY’s unaccompanied children caseworker conducts an initial home study to determine if the potential sponsor is a safe and suitable guardian for the child. If the placement is approved and the child is released to the sponsor, the caseworker then works with the minor to identify and address client needs, foster a strong relationship between the child and the sponsor, provide psychosocial support and information about community resources, and advocate on behalf of the child as appropriate.

In August, the IRC in NY resettlement manager Marilee Johns and unaccompanied children caseworker Priscilla Giron attended the first National Family Reunification Network Conference in Chicago. All those in attendance, including the IRC in NY and the IRC in Miami, have a subcontract with Heartland Alliance to provide home study and post-release services for unaccompanied minors. The purpose of this conference was to enhance services to unaccompanied minors by bringing together staff from Heartland Alliance's partner organizations from across the country. The conference included presentations on trauma-informed care, trafficking laws and warning signs, and programmatic requirements. Those in attendance also had the opportunity to visit one of the largest shelters in the Chicago area.   During the conference, attendees created a vision statement for the network:  "As compassionate human rights professionals, we envision a network that inspires hope and dignity for children and families from around the globe to be safe, stable, supported and empowered with the tools and resources to thrive." The IRC in NY is committed to serving unaccompanied minors and hopes to expand this program in the years to come.

National Family Reunification Network Conference in Chicago
Isaac Lopez, Heartland Alliance Director of the National Family Reunification Program, with IRC Miami and New York staff.
Photo: IRC