The Trump administration's terrible "zero tolerance" approach to immigration has resulted in kids be forcably separated from their parents and detained in substandard conditions. Not only do these families not get to see each other, but the goverment is making it difficult for them to even get in contact.
That's because the government is charging immigrant parents as much as $8 per minute to call their children. Obviously, that's a lot of money for people who typically don't have any.
Per ICE's own rules, detainees should have the right to contact immediate family members via phone for free, but media outlets have discovered that immigrants are being charged to make such calls anyway.
The Texas Tribune has accounts from a Guatemalan mom who could only call her three children after saving up enough money to place the call, as well as a father who was denied a call to his son because he did have sufficient funds in his account.
These families should be speedily reunited, and in the meantime, there's no reason to compound the cruelty. We sign this petition to demand that ICE ensure that all phone calls between separated parents and children be free of charge. It's important for these families to still feel close even when being detained thousands of miles apart.
