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Dear Editor;
As a mental health professional with over 45 years of experience, I must say LOUD AND CLEAR that separating a child from his or her parent will do lifelong damage to that child. The worst trauma for a child is parental separation and the younger the child, the more the child is damaged.
Psychological and neurological research is clear that parental separation can impede normal brain development impacting acquisition of speech and lifelong learning, as well as, causing severe emotional problems of possible attachment disorder (never able to bond), PTSD, and higher anxiety and depression symptoms, to name only a few disorders.
This is not the time for political argument. It is like a child who is trapped in a burning building. It is not a time to discuss what past policies have caused the fire nor who is to blame for the current fire. It it only time to RESCUE THE CHILD! Then, to return the child to their parent to be soothed and comforted and start the healing process.
PLEASE DEMAND THE RESCUE OF THESE CHILDREN. They must not be used as a bargaining chip.

Christine Tsubokura, MSW
Mineral Point