The Statue of Liberty, which overlooks New York Harbor, was the first thing seen by visitors, immigrants and returning Americans before the jet age, welcoming them to the new world.
She inspires those chasing the American dream, her inscription crying out for "huddled masses yearning to breathe free... / Send these, the tempest-tossed to me / I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
We have failed her. When the preeminent family values nation starts breaking up families, things have gone awry. It seems you're only allowed to care for your children if you are a legal citizen. Illegal immigrants sit in jail awaiting deportation, while their children are being adopted and taken away from their care because of their legal status.
America has long been viewed as the land of rags to riches; the opportunity for bettering life runs rampant. Yet the government seems determined to deny this dream to a certain few.
The American legal system isn't fit for determining whether a parent has enough to offer. Hypocrisy is evident considering the millions on welfare in this country. Nobody is taking away children from those poor families because they live in small apartments and have little income. The only difference is legal status - never mind the fact that the children are citizens.
Can anyone argue against parents sacrificing to provide a better life for their children? Although their parents are illegal immigrants, children who are born here are citizens; there shouldn't even be a debate on whether or not to break these families up.
States such as Washington, Missouri and South Carolina have all had instances such as this. In particular, a Jasper County circuit court judge allowed the removal of a child from his mother because she had little to offer. This decision was followed by saying that the only thing certain in the woman's life would be deportation.
The system is broken; when such situations arise, we must reform. The cost of detaining and deporting immigrants doesn't outweigh the damage done by the emotional scarring. If the nation wants better care for future generations, the country must change.
Almost 18 percent of children in this country are living below the poverty line. If we want to reverse this trend, then we must start providing healthcare, education at affordable price levels so everyone can prosper.
Only by accomplishing that can this country actually make the claim that we care for all children and stress family values. Separating children from their parents and siblings, regardless of legal status in this country, is always wrong.
There is no better time to attack the challenges of our era, and if the government sits idly by, dismissing the issue rather then developing solutions, then it will only be tossed on a huge pile of other issues such as healthcare, education and global warming.
Family has been the backbone of this country since its very inception. It's the rock of our social system. Parents nurture and develop us into the people we become. Regardless of legal status, no person should be denied the American dream - especially if they are providing it to their children.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
