The crisis at the border is only getting worse. So where’s President Obama? More than a month after the nation learned that thousands of families and unaccompanied children from Central America, he still hasn’t so much as visited the squalid facilities where these folks are being held and processed. Even Democratic Reps. Raul Grijalva and Henry Cuellar are calling it “Obama’s Katrina” -- another president failing to assert moral leadership at a time when it is most needed. In fact, President Obama just went to Texas -- but not for the reason you’d think. He is sweeping through Texas and other Southwestern states to raise money for elections. There’s just no excuse for this -- as the president makes decisions about the fates of these children and families, his response to this tragedy should be informed by direct experience of what these folks went through to get here and what they’re going through now that they’ve arrived. It’s telling that even now, President Obama continues to treat the flow of children into this country as an immigration issue instead of the humanitarian issue it is. He hasn’t even addressed the rise in virulent right-wing xenophobia cropping up as residents along the border turn back buses of refugees. Even Glenn Beck, the former Fox News host who once called the president a “racist” who has a “deep-seated hatred for white people” is standing up to the worst ugliness on the right, going to the border with trucks full of teddy bears, soccer balls, and food. President Obama needs to step up to the plate. These are children, not a political calculation. Tell him to visit detention facilities at the border immediately, and to speak out against the rising tide of xenophobia in US political rhetoric.

President Obama just went to Texas -- but not for the reason you’d think. Despite facing one of the worst domestic humanitarian crises in recent memory, President Obama still hasn’t so much as visited the border, or any of the squalid facilities in which families and unaccompanied children have been housed. No, President Obama is touring Texas and other Southwestern states to raise money for elections. There’s just no excuse for this -- as the president makes decisions about the fates of these children and families, his understanding of the crisis shouldn't be purely academic. His response to this tragedy should be informed by direct experience of what these folks went through to get here and what they’re going through now that they’ve arrived. It’s telling that even now, President Obama continues to treat the flow of children into this country as an immigration issue instead of the humanitarian issue it is. His mishandling of the crisis, and his detachment from the individuals and communities most affected by it, have led Reps. Raul Grijalva and Henry Cuellar to label the crisis as “Obama’s Katrina.” It’s hard to argue that they’re wrong. President Obama is failing to assert moral leadership at a time when it is most needed. He hasn’t even addressed the rise in virulent right-wing xenophobia cropping up as residents along the border turn back buses of refugees. Even Glenn Beck, the former Fox News host who once called the president a “racist” who has a “deep-seated hatred for white people” is standing up to the worst ugliness on the right, going to the border with trucks full of teddy bears, soccer balls, and food. President Obama needs to step up to the plate. These are children, not a political calculation. Tell him to visit detention facilities at the border immediately, and to speak out against the rising tide of xenophobia in US political rhetoric.

We’ve heard the stories and seen the haunting images of children forced to sleep on the floor of grossly overcrowded detention centers. Tell President Obama that children and families don’t belong in detention. Unaccompanied children as young as four years old are fleeing violence in Central America. Mothers with young children are risking everything to find safety. Nearly two thirds of the children making the dangerous crossing would qualify for international protection due to the extreme violence and abuse they faced in their home countries. The journey is dangerous. Women and girls face threats of sexual violence. Many are arriving pregnant as the result of sexual assault and rape in their home countries or on the journey. Unfortunately once they arrive, too many of these children and families are being held in overcrowded Border Patrol facilities that are not appropriate places for children and families to stay. And now the President wants to build new detention centers to detain families with children. We must provide safe and appropriate shelter for children and families coming across our borders, not lock them up and deprive them of their rights. President Obama’s proposal to address the humanitarian crisis includes nearly $1 Billion dollars in new funding for enforcement and detention at the border. We cannot continue to pour funding into militarizing an already secure border and building new family detention centers. Tell President Obama no new money to detain families and children. Thank you for standing up for refugee children and families today.

This issue is about children. As a mother, the plight of the unaccompanied minors crossing our borders breaks my heart. But, the hostility and vitriol expressed towards them in response to news reports and on social media as well as the public display in Murietta, California is disgraceful. They are not political pawns. They are precious children and they need our help. I had never heard of Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins before reading about him in a magazine article yesterday. I was grateful to read that someone in political office is standing up for these children. I was inspired to write this Petition-my first, to hopefully encourage other politicians to do the same. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins recently stood up to lead by example and help these children. As Judge Jenkins so eloquently stated in a recent article with Mother Jones Magazine: “We just need to get the will to recognize that these are children and not others. That these are children just like your children and my children, just like our ancestors when they came across as children, except these children came across without their parents. And they are scared, alone, and they need our help.” Read his interview here http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/07/texas-we-dont-turn-our-back-children Please show your support for what this issue is truly about, children who are suffering and in need of our help. Please support this petition to encourage Judge Clay Jenkins and others like him who bravely act against their political interests to do the right thing. Please sign this petition and help send a message to our representatives that AMERICA DOES NOT TURN ITS BACK ON CHILDREN. Thank you.

Since coming to the U.S. in 2007 on a work visa, Gabino has worked hard to support both his family living in the U.S. and back home in Mexico. Gabino believes that hard work and the love of one's family are the keys to success in life. He planned to make a deeper commitment to his family this month by marrying the love of his life, Amelia, and continuing the support he provides to her and her children. The community of DeWitt is devastated by the news of Gabino's impending deportation. His neighbors and community volunteers have rallied together to support Gabino's family, fiancee, and stepchildren, but they cannot do this alone. They need your help to make sure that this family is not separated. Please sign this petition so that this family can have the wedding and bright future that it deserves!

Almost 60,000 children are currently being held in disease-ridden, filthy facilities as prisoners. They are fleeing unbearable violence from drug cartels in their home countries. They do not need to be sent back to this violence, nor do they need to be treated as criminals. They are refugees.

Do we really want to be a people who turn our backs on children? One percent of the United States military budget would provide enough money for 60 or more hundred million dollar projects to assist children who arrive here and to assist those in the places they must now flee.

Leonel Salazar has lived in the United States for the larger part of his life, and has proudly embodied the American values of hard work and strong family life. Born in Zacatecas, Mexico, Leonel and his family first traveled across the Mexican-U.S. border when he was just one year old. As their stay in America became permanent, Leonel's parents embraced the legal pathways to be able to stay in this country, and were able to achieve legal status for everyone in the family except Leonel, who has been renewing work permits and awaiting a residency petition that was started by his citizen mother in 1995. Unfortunately, Leonel cannot wait any longer, receiving this week a letter ordering his voluntary removal in July 2014. Leonel resides in Rogers, Arkansas where he has contributed greatly to his community through his entrepreneurship, starting, in 2002, Leo’s Siding and Gutters, and through his strong volunteer spirit, giving countless hours and resources for over three years to local nonprofits organizations, such as Arkansas United Community Coalition and the Northwest Arkansas Workers Justice Center. In addition Leonel and his wife, Beatriz, have 4 U.S. citizen children, ages 18, 14, 7 and 3. Currently, the eldest is at basic training for the U.S. National Guard. Another proud Arkansan, their son now fears that he will graduate from training on August 8th only to NOT have his father with him to celebrate this life milestone. Leonel is the sole breadwinner for his family, has earned his living in a fair and just way, and has given back to his community. Please stand behind Arkansas values by keeping Leonel home, with his family and community.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy was voted to replace Rep. Eric Cantor as Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a key leader in the Republican Party, he can help to ensure that immigration reform actually comes up for a vote! He's supporting one measure to help provide a path to citizenship for young immigrants who are also members of the military, and his district is 35% Latino. If any Republican can "get it", he can.

Our broken immigration system deports 1100 people per day, tearing apart countless families. Congressman Roskam represents a district with a growing immigrant population, but his actions continue to show his anti-immigrant nature. It's time for Peter Roskam to be the leader the Illinois and America needs.

Over two million people have been deported from the United States since his time in office. Obama has done this to prove to Congress that he “is not soft on immigration” to try and pass comprehensive immigration reform. Congress will not support comprehensive reform because they are anxious the President will not enforce the law. We need to stop this now so if we all join together and end his support for enforcement-only policies that separate families and friends through unnecessary deportations with permanent or undocumented residents. We are a nation of immigrants and this is also a land of opportunity, so lets stand together to end the mass deportation of immigrants and ensure basic due process.

This is about the Dream Act. It is an act that will help undocumented students be eligible for federal economic aid. For example, because of this issue a lot of my friends couldn't get into college and they dropped out because they couldn't afford a large amount of money.