Heartland Alliance detains hundreds of migrant children in Chicago every year.
Heartland Alliance is a Chicago-based nonprofit that’s paid tens of millions of dollars by the US government to detain unaccompanied migrant children under their Heartland Human Care Services division. They do this under the guise of providing “shelter” for these children.
These are not shelters. They’re detention centers.
- Children are not allowed to leave the detention centers or even visit family/loved ones temporarily.
- Heartland has a history of working closely with ICE: deporting kids if they turn 18 under Heartland’s care and endangering the family and friends of children by reporting their information to ICE.
- There is a proven pattern of medical abuse, neglect, and traumatization at the hand of Heartland.
Our Goal: shut them down and #FreeTheKids.
We’re demanding that Heartland shut down these detention centers and immediately reunite all children with their sponsors.
Why #FreeTheKids?
Short Term: Shutting down these detention centers will have an immediate impact on the hundred(s) of children currently detained. Majority of these children have family or friends in the U.S. ready to take them in.
Long Term: Fewer beds = fewer detentions. The detention and deportation machine is beyond reform. We must reduce the U.S.’s capacity to detain and immediately release detainees by working across the country to close one center at a time.
Get Involved Today
Want to learn more about the campaign? Interested in attending an upcoming meeting or action? Do you have a story to share about Heartland’s detention centers? Let us know.