By: Barbara Clinton

We created Families Together to teach parents about the U.S immigration system. COVID-19 forced us to adapt our approach, but this program is still going strong. Help us spread the word about upcoming sessions!

Approximately 43,000 U.S. citizen children in Tennessee live with a foreign-born parent who is at risk of deportation (source: Migration Policy Institute).  These parents know that a minor mistake like failing to update an address with the appropriate authority can quickly lead to a deportation order. 

Their children know this too, and recent research suggests that a child’s fear of her parents deportation can cause serious harm, ranging from nightmares and lethargy to anxiety, depression, physical pain, difficulty controlling emotions, inability to complete school assignments, and behavior regression. (source: MedlinePlus).

Knowledge over fear

To replace families’ fear with information and resources for navigating the immigration system, TNJFON created a free program to help parents understand their responsibilities and rights under U.S. immigration law, with the added goal of promoting their children’s well-being. 

The Families Together program began on January 21, 2020 with a 6-session educational program which helps noncitizen parents learn about the immigration system and fully participate in their immigration case.  

Each Tuesday and Thursday night for 3 weeks, a small group of mothers from different countries learned the ins and outs of permanent residency, how to find an attorney and avoid being scammed by unscrupulous attorneys, how victims change their immigration status, and their rights and responsibilities in the U.S. Participants especially appreciated spending time with others who shared the fear of deportation and the stresses of adapting to a new country.

By March, the attendees were preparing to meet with a TNJFON attorney to evaluate their immigration legal options and design a deportation risk minimization plan and family preparation plan.  

adapting to new uncertainties

Then COVID-19 restrictions were put in place and the participatory learning curriculum we had designed so carefully suddenly required a full scale revision.

Moving from live interactive classes to online sessions raised new fears for many of the attendees, and the digital platform we selected had to assure complete confidentiality.  In addition, as the attendees’ jobs became less stable and family economics more challenging, their anxiety increased and their schedules became more unpredictable.

Our solution has been to create an on-demand model which can be accessed at any time of the day, with shorter video “classes” and an electronic copy of the curriculum covered in each module.  

Support from a distance

One of the benefits of the in-person class that we hadn’t anticipated was the opportunity for participants to share stories and support among themselves.  While students no longer gather for a designated block of time 2 nights per week, they are able to engage with each other and our staff through the online platform. 

How you can help

Needed more than ever, this free program is recruiting new participants!

If you or someone you know would like to enroll in the 6-session course that starts August 21, please reach out to Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors at (615) 835-2512.

You can also download our flyer form in English or Spanish.