French risk jail for immigrant children

The French have a history of sheltering children in times of war and difficult circumstance. Today, some brave French families are risking jail sentences for hiding immigrant children ordered to be deported at the end of the school year.

The French government is attempting to curb new immigration and deport illegal immigrants already in the country. Consequently, many children are suspended in a perilous limbo, hiding with sympathetic French families, while their parents live elsewhere. Under French law, it is illegal to deport children without their parents or parents without their children.

Read the BBC article here.

Comments

[mary jane]

It's nice to be reminded that people still have hearts...and don't only live by what they are told to believe and do.....thanks for the inspiring post...

[Tammy]

Thank God there are still people out there willing to help others in this way. We all could learn from this.

XXOO

[cathy]

Now this is a law you don't hear of in the U.S., wish we could have people here who can shelter immigrant children. This was a great post, I'm glad you shared it with us

[boliyou]

A moving and touching story. It's ironic that the very law that was written to keep families together is now what's keeping them apart.

[abhay]

Hi,
that's really great! It a matter of great courage and accolade for those families who are keeping the tradition alive...
Thanks

[luxlucisvita]

one of the most thought provoking blogs I've read...

inspiring...

[Catalina]

I dream about no borders anymore.....what make us better to stay in a place and try to leave in a decent way?

[diana]

so sad and so hard to figure out the answers to immigration... touchy , but very important subject

[AscenderRisesAbove]

Another story we don't hear 'here'. It is great that blogs like yours post issues such as this; makes me more sure of the greater conciousness that is alive in the world. There is a book about the "Kindertrains"; the children who were sent other places; what thier lives were like both then and families who did reunite afterwards.

[Chelle]

It's so sad when children have to suffer through things like this.

[tinker]

I believe Martin Niemoller (sorry, unsure of the spelling), said it best, "First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me."
I'm thankful there are still those willing to take risks for their fellow human beings. There have to be better ways of handling immigration than this current trend among major nations to simply ship people out and seal up their borders. Thanks for continuing to cast light into the shadows, Tara.

[amber]

I don't know the whole story, with this. But emigration is a tough and touchy subject, wherever you go. I wish I had answers, that would be good for everyone. I wish every person could have what they want and what they need. But. I don't think it is very realistic.

Always thought provoking, T.

:)

[becca]

This is so eerily reminiscent of what happened in WWII - the French people again stepping up to keep the persecuted from harm. I had hoped the world had learned a lesson.

[josephine]

Seems like a humane law. It also seems somewhat reminscent of what we are going through in the states with our congress and illegal immigrants.

I still feel my heart sink every time they discuss building a wall between the US and Mexico. It just seems fundamentally un-American.

Almost everyone in America came from "illegal" immigrants, unless they are Native American. What's up with that?

[Lotus]

Thank you for this very heartening piece of news. I found your blog through 'A wandering woman writes', I hope you won't mind if I add you to my blogroll?

[The Bold Soul]

What a wonderful story! It's good to hear something positive and uplifting about the French for a change. Say what you like about them, but they really know how to stand up for their convictions. I posted a link to this on my blog so I could share it with my readers, too! Thanks!

[AnnieElf]

Doing what is right often means taking the hard road. Bravo for these teachers and others who are helping.

[Rebekah]

Thank God there are people who are led by conscience, whatever the peril.

[sheela]

We are constantly bombarded with scenes of tragedy and injustice, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Then we see people who are willing to really act on what they believe, though faced with the possiblity of punishment. What an inspiration!

[Neasa]

Thanks from me also, for sharing this. Bless the people giving shelter. I'm curious: in France, are children born there of immigrant parents granted any level of French citizenship or other protection? It doesn't sound like it, if they could be deported.

[endment]

Thanks for sharing this

[Di]

You know, this reminds me so much of what I read of the war years ...

Some Europeans don't seem to hear the echo. The recent 'identity soup' outrage by the extreme right horrified me ...

I'm glad the French are hiding the children, really glad.

[madeleine]

It's fantastic to see people willing to risk everything to protect others.Most people are far too willing to sit back and do nothing. I am probably including myself in this.
It's heartbreaking and extremely concerning to think of these families(including small children) being re-patriated, to face a life of hardship or even death.

[bb]

Yes, I watched this on the BBC news last night. Such courage and conviction. It made me look deep into myself to see if I would have courage enough to take such risks for what I believe in.