Deportation fears push undocumented US parents to assign guardians for their kids
A growing number of undocumented migrants in the United States are formally granting legal guardianship of their children to trusted allies, as fears of detention and deportation intensify. The arrangements are meant to ensure that children are not left abandoned or forced into foster care if their parents are suddenly removed from the country. Under these agreements, parents sign documents giving another adult power of attorney to act on their behalf in schools, hospitals and courts, while still retaining parental custody rights. Lawyers and advocacy groups say interest in guardianship and emergency planning has grown sharply as immigration enforcement has tightened and legal migration options have narrowed. One 32 year old Guatemalan mother in Miami said she decided to appoint a legal guardian because she fears never returning home from work one day if she is detained by immigration officers. […]
