Dallas program Mosaic Family Services helps reunite immigrants

What happens in a Dallas office is a crucial step to freedom for some of the unaccompanied minors in shelters. Mosaic Family Services offers a small, but vital, service to help with the sponsorship of the minors.

"So there are people here that are maybe family members willing to serve as sponsors for these minors so they don't have to be held in detention," said Bill Bernstein, deputy director of Mosaic Family Services.

Mosaic operates what is called the "Safe Release Support Program." It is a network of agencies who coordinate with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service to serve unaccompanied minors. For a sponsorship to happen, the relatives have to be vetted.

"Sometimes they come here in fear. They're not sure who we are and what we do," said Angie Carreon, program director.

What they do is fingerprint the families. They have to satisfy background checks making sure these children are going to safe homes. "Make sure they have a plan for the minor; school, medical, and if they need social services," said Carreon.

The latest executive order keeping families together does not grandfather in families that have been already separated. Meaning there are more children who need sponsorships to stay in the country.
"In the eyes of government, they fall into the same category. Once they are separated from their parents, they are unaccompanied," said Bernstein.

Angie says when she sits down with the family members she hears stories of heartbreak. "We have to try to separate ourselves a little bit. Otherwise, we may become too emotionally overwhelmed," said Carreon.

These fingerprints will ultimately go to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and now also to Homeland Security, which is a new rule according to Bernstein.