Giving Compass' Take:

• The Aspen Institute discusses the unique struggles immigrants face and the impact family separation at the U.S. border has on mental health. Through the Ascend program, AI attempts to provide opportunities for and meet the needs of immigrant families.

• What effects will the ‘zero tolerance’ policy have on the future of immigration? And what long-lasting impact will family separation at the border have on the health of children? 

• Here are some ways family foundations can make a difference in the lives of immigrants and refugees. 

The United States was founded on the aspirational vision of “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.” Today it is more important than ever to keep our eyes wide open and reconcile our deeply flawed history of slavery, genocide, and gender inequity with the freedom and opportunities the Constitution sets forth for all people. There is no room to hide from the painful reality of the inequities faced by immigrants, communities of color, women, and others. We must accept the responsibility for where we are now and how we will proceed as families, neighbors, communities, and a country.

Values drive decisions and affect lives. Ascend at the Aspen Institute has been deeply concerned about the separation of more than 2,300 immigrant children from their parents, many of whom are fleeing violence and persecution in their native countries. As a policy program of the Aspen Institute with a focus on creating an intergenerational cycle of opportunity for all families, we believe it is not just a legal imperative to recognize families holistically – it is a moral one.

Read the full article about trying to help immigrant families at the border by Anne Mosle at The Aspen Institute.