Kids Can’t Wait: Paper Doll Chain for Justice Thank you to all who contributed to the paper doll chain. No further action is needed at this time. Every day the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) detains over 475 children, and holds an estimated 5000 children a year in U.S. shelters and jails. These numbers do not include the many children who are detained with adult prisoners because of faulty age determination methods used by the INS. These children—often survivors of abuse, abandonment, persecution and even torture—have arrived in the United States without parents or guardians. While in detention they are not provided court-appointed attorneys or guardians ad litem to protect their interests and needs. Vulnerable children are forced to navigate a complex immigration system alone.

UPDATE A big thank-you to those who contributed to the Paper Doll Chain for Justice. The response from communities nationwide was amazing, and the chain was well received as it traveled the halls of Congress on February 28, 2002. In the end, we collected well over 2,000 paper dolls from over 20 states. Read more about the Maryland school kids who took the paper doll chain to the Senate. And progress has been made on protecting children who arrive at our borders alone! Read more about the Children's Bill provisions that were incorporated into the Homeland Security Bill.

The Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act is a care and custody bill designed to protect these children and provide for their best interests. The bill, which has been introduced in both the House and Senate, should be brought to the floor this year. Click here to learn more about the bill.

The public must speak out for the forgotten and voiceless victims of this national problem.

How Can I Speak Out?
To raise public awareness on the hundreds of children locked in secure detention shelters facing a future as uncertain as the past, we are creating a Paper Doll Chain for Justice—a national grassroots project to show the nation and our legislators that we do not approve of the immigration practices and policies used for unaccompanied minors.

The Paper Doll Chain for Justice will be presented to the Senate by an elementary class at a hearing on the act in late February.

To participate follow the steps below:

1. Create and cut out a paper doll.

Click here for a template. We encourage creativity, so please feel free to create your own paper doll. The size of the paper doll should not exceed 8½" tall by 5½" wide (roughly half a sheet of paper).

2. Decorate and write a message on the doll.

Color in the doll, and write a message. The message can be simple or complex. See sample text below:

• Kids Can't Wait! Pass HR1904/S121, the Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act
• Kids are kids first.
• Remember the "forgotten" children!

You can also write your name and age and how you heard about the issue.

3. Write your name (just your first name is fine), city, state and ZIP code on the paper doll. This is needed for when we bring the paper doll chain to Washington, D.C.

4. Send the paper doll(s) to the following address (send paper doll inside an envelope):

Kids Can't Wait, c/o Sarah Cross
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
700 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230

5. Click here to find out how you can send a letter or postcard to your representative or Senators on the children's bill.

6. Click here to find out how you can do more for children and asylum seekers in detention.

This is a great project for families, classrooms, churches, community groups, and school organizations to participate in.

If you would like more information on the children detained by the INS or on the Unaccompanied Alien Child Protection Act, please contact frc@lirs.org.