Editor’s note: Deborah Weinstein, Executive Director of the Coalition on Human Needs, issued the following statement Friday in response to reports that raids against immigrant families are imminent:

“Reports that scores of immigrant families across the United States soon will be rounded up for  deportation are the latest reminder that President Trump’s immigration policies are cruel and inhumane and not representative of the type of nation we aspire to be.

“These families do not represent a threat to public safety. They are not a drag on our economy – in fact, they are contributors to our prosperity..  These actions are part of a fear campaign that seeks to scape-goat vulnerable people rather than rely on a humanely applied rule of law.

“We know that nearly six out of seven families seeking refuge in this country who are released from custody show up for their court hearings.  When they have representation, more than 99 percent appeared at every hearing, according to a Syracuse University tracking system.  Mass round-ups are abhorrent in a democracy.  We should let our legal system work.

“The raids, if they occur, are not simply Trump’s latest human rights catastrophe. They are also dangerous and harmful for those who are apprehended and those around them, particularly the children of immigrant families. As the Center for Law and Social Policy reminds us, research shows that ‘when children witness the arrest of a parent – particularly in their own home – they are at greater risk of suffering mental health and behavioral problems that have long-term implications for their overall development and future success.’

“When will this end? When will Democrats and Republicans say enough is enough? When will we remember who we are and who we aspire to be?”