There are thousands of children who have been detained by ICE and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in crowded detention facilities right now who do not have a loved one to turn to for comfort or who are with a parent, but incarcerated. The good news is that the vast majority of child migrants have family members or community sponsors who are waiting to care for them. Especially now that the coronavirus is threatening the lives of people who are incarcerated, it is way past time for children to be released from detention into the homes of their family members or community sponsors! All children and family members should be free to be with the people who love them and want to protect them.  

Help us send a strong message to urge the White House, ICE, and ORR to immediately release children and their families from detention by creating a butterfly and sending the image via tweets and Instagram to key decision makers. Will you join us?

It’s an easy and powerful way for kids and adults to use their voices and creativity to help others in this difficult time:

1. GATHER together your family members-- large and small! 

2. MAKE a butterfly. Butterflies represent that migration is beautiful. Encourage them to use their creativity! See here for ideas on making butterflies, or for an even easier option, here’s a coloring page you can print out at home. 

3. TAKE a picture of your kids holding their butterflies (including just kids’ hands and no faces is best to protect their privacy or just take a photo of the butterfly). 

4. WRITE a tweet and instagram post with one of the following messages. Or make up your own!

   1. Now more than ever, children should be with the people who love them, not in detention! Release them NOW @ICEgov @cbp @whitehouse @ACFHHS via @MomsRising and @EffectMigration #familiesbelongtogether #safeandtogether #butterflyeffectmigration #COVID19
      Click to Tweet

   2. Kids standing up for immigrant kids and families in detention -- Release them now! @ICEgov @cbp @whitehouse @ACFHHS via @MomsRising and @EffectMigration #familiesbelongtogether #safeandtogether #butterflyeffectmigration #COVID19

   3. Hi @ICEgov @cbp @whitehouse @ACFHHS! Now more than ever, children should be with the people who love them. Release them now! via @MomsRising and @EffectMigration #familiesbelongtogether #safeandtogether #butterflyeffectmigration #COVID19

      Click to Tweet

   4. Back us up! We’re joining @MomsRising and @EffectMigration to ask @ICEgov, @CBP, @WhiteHouse and @ACFHHS to release immigrant kids and families in detention NOW! #familiesbelongtogether #safeandtogether #butterflyeffectimmigration #COVID19
      Click to Tweet 

5. TAG your message

   1. #familiesbelongtogether

   2. #safeandtogether

   3. #butterflyeffectmigration

   4. #COVID19

6. TAG the ORR, ICE, CBP and White House 

   1. @ICEgov 

   2. @cbp

   3. @whitehouse

   4. @ACFHHS

7. ATTACH your photo

8. POST!

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Now more than ever, children should be safe and secure with the people who love them.  Please join me and my family in making a butterfly so that other children and families can be free to be together.