As images of detained children continue to surface, Spanish-language networks like Telemundo and Univision, as well as entertainers such as Ricky Martin, are taking a stand.
?”Telemundo is shocked by the current situation on the U.S. border and urges our government to prevent the authorities from separating families,” the network said in a statement to Billboard. “The current policy of separation of families is an affront to human decency and contrary to the principles and values on which this country was founded. The government has the power to rescind this policy and it must do so immediately.”
“As a company dedicated to informing, empowering, and entertaining Hispanic America, we are alarmed by the current crisis at the U.S. southern border where children are being forcibly separated from their parents,” Univision also said in a statement, via AdWeek. “It is especially devastating to see the pain of children wailing for their parents; to see siblings separated from one another and put in caged enclosures. America is a country built by immigrants. Indeed, immigrants have long come to the United States seeking better lives for themselves and their families. To quote former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, ‘rather than posing a threat to our democracy, they reinforce and enrich the values that make America the country it is.’ Taking such extreme actions as we’ve seen at the border is not in line with what America stands for. Univision calls upon elected officials and leaders in Washington in both parties to work to resolve this situation immediately so that the separations stop and children already impacted can be reunited with their parents.”
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These organizations do not stand alone, as many across the country are echoing similar sentiments and demanding change to take place immediately.
One of those voices is pop star Ricky Martin, who is asking the president to stop caging children and separating families. He made the plea to his 10 million-plus Instagram followers, urging them to sign the ACLU petition to stop the government from abusing immigrant children.
“The president of the United States will keep caged more than 2000 children (separated from their parents) until congress separates a budget to build its wall on the border of Mexico,” Martin, who has two children, wrote on Instagram.
“This goes beyond political parties,” he added. “This is an offense to the human rights of children. Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their immigration status. This reminds us of the times of Nazi Germany. We cannot let this continue like this. Please sign the petition.”
See Martin’s messages below.