In the past week, two Honduran children have died in US Government custody, victims of inadequate medical care and failure of the immigration system. Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza, a 17-year-old boy, and Anadith Tanay Reyes Álvarez, an 8-year-old girl with congenital heart disease, both tragically lost their lives.
Anadith Tanay Reyes Álvarez had been diagnosed with the flu, and her parents desperately pleaded with the CBP officials to call an ambulance. Unfortunately, their pleas were ignored, resulting in the heartbreaking death of this child.
Today, we urge you to call your Senators and Representative to demand accountability for the lives of these children and to ensure that steps are taken to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Sample script:
“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent of [Senator/Representative]. I am calling to express my concern regarding the recent deaths of two children in US Government custody. I ask [Senator/Representative] to demand a thorough investigation into CBP’s actions and procedures that led to the tragic deaths of Ángel Eduardo Maradiaga Espinoza and Anadith Tanay Reyes Álvarez. Furthermore, I request that policies be reevaluated to ensure adequate medical care and attention for those in custody, so that such tragedies never occur again. Thank you.”
Contact your Senators and Representative using the following information:
Senators:
* Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441 or http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form
* Patty Murray: 202-224-2621 or http://www.murray.senate.gov/write-to-patty/
Representative:
* Pramila Jayapal: 202-225-3106 or http://jayapal.house.gov/contact
* Adam Smith: 202-225-8901 or http://adamsmith.house.gov/contact
Background
“The parents of an 8-year-old who died in Border Patrol custody call for ‘justice’” – https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/parents-8-year-old-girl-died-border-patrol-custody-call-justice-rcna85360
