A one-year-old baby boy is ripped out of his mother’s arms with no assurance that they will ever see each other again. A second grader in Minnesota ended up home alone caring for his toddler brother. Every day, kids come home wondering if their parents will be there.

As a mom, I know that children’s worst nightmare is to be separated from their parents. Yet, 4.5 million children in the United States must live with this fear every day.

It's long past time for comprehensive immigration policy reform that reflects the contributions and needs of women and moms.

Can you click here to urge your members of Congress to move immigration reform forward that values the contributions of women and moms, and treats us fairly?

Studies show that the effects of separating children from their parents can lead to developmental delays, poor school performance, depression and aggression in children. The current backlogs and decades-long waiting periods for family reunification, and the fact that there currently isn't an earned roadmap to citizenship no matter how long or how much someone has contributed to this country, are unacceptable.

We all can relate to striving to protect our loved ones: Our children.

With this in mind, then it's not surprising to hear that women now make up over half of the immigrant population in the U.S. Or that studies show the majority of women migrate for family reasons, including to reunite with family, to make a better life for their children, or to escape oppression, discrimination, and violence that prevent them and their children from living full and free lives.

The ultimate difficulty, the ultimate heartbreak, is to live in a new location with both the hope of opening opportunities and the fear that you can at some point be separated from your children because there is no current roadmap for you to legalize the immigration status for everyone in your family.

We're going to be blunt here: The current dysfunctional immigration system is inflicting unnecessary pain on children across the country.

We can do better!

Don't forget to click here to urge your members of Congress to move immigration reform forward that values the contributions of women and moms, and treats us fairly.

Together we are a powerful force for women and families!