A horrific trademark of the Trump administration has been its relentless attack on kids and their families, separating families both at the southern border and in communities all across the U.S.—and Rohingya children who have fled anti-Muslim ethnic cleansing in Myanmar for the U.S. fear they could be next.
A small number of these children were admitted to the U.S. under the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program, hoping that their families, who had remained behind, would later join them. But under White House aide and white supremacist Stephen Miller, the U.S. refugee program is slowly dying—with The New York Times reporting that only 593 Rohingya have been admitted this year, down from nearly 4,100 in 2015—leaving these children afraid they may not see their parents and families again.
“For the dozens of children like Hefzur who have been arriving from Myanmar without family,” the TImes reported, “an initial expectation that their parents would join them has faded, leaving many of them frustrated and distraught.” Hefzur has been living with a foster family in Michigan. “My dream is to bring my family here,” he said. “I’m afraid my mom and dad will die before I can touch them again.”
Politico reported in June that a Trump administration official reportedly floated slashing the number of refugees that can be admitted to the U.S. next year “to nearly zero,” arguing “that the refugee cap should be low because of ongoing security concerns.” This is typical Trump administration fearmongering: Refugees are in fact vetted in a vigorous process that can take as long as two years.
Meanwhile, it’s kids like Hefzur who are suffering. A number of others have also been placed in Michigan by Bethany Christian Services, “a religious adoption agency with a troubling record,” Rewire reported last year. The organization, which has large financial ties to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, “has long faced accusations of discriminating against LGBTQ couples and coercing parents into giving up babies for adoption.”
Along the border, some family separations resulting from the Trump administration’s inhumane “zero tolerance” policy have become permanent, with kids stolen from their families still in U.S. custody. When it comes to the Rohingya kids, even growing up and becoming eligible to sponsor their families is no guarantee of reunification here. Reports the Times, “When they become adults, they can apply for their parents to join them through a process known as family reunification, which Mr. Trump has said he wants to cut back.”