Parents deported, children trapped in U.S. foster care system

Letter to the Editor: Kids are victims of raids
Padilla, Anthony. San Francisco Chronicle, March 16,2007, pg. B10.

Editor -- I am writing in response to the March 8 article, "Immigration raids leaves detainees' children stranded'': I do not condone illegal immigration, however, the way the government is conducting these raids is reprehensible because it is irresponsible. Although the government is working with social services to assist with the care of abandoned children, these children are still on the losing end of the system.

Many of the children will be put into the foster-care system. Because of laws limiting the time allowed for reunification, a large number may never be able to reunify with their families, if their parents are deported.

The government must work with social services and foreign consulates to ensure that methods are enacted to assure families the ability to be reunited when parents are deported. Otherwise, the government is causing a huge burden to the social-services system and encouraging parents to re-enter the country at any cost.

ANTONIO PADILLA
San Francisco