Welcome to KIND - A National Movement

KIND was founded by the Microsoft Corporation and actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie to create a pro bono movement of law firms, corporate law departments, NGOs and volunteers committed to providing fair, competent and compassionate legal counsel to unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. We're calling this new coalition KIND -- but it's about more than compassion, it's about protecting the rights of children.

KIND Board Co-Chair Angelina Jolie meets with KIND clients and their lawyers.

KIND has an ambitious but achievable agenda. By 2010, we intend to provide legal representation for 100% of unaccompanied children in the areas of the country where the need is greatest. KIND has field offices in Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, New York City, and Washington, DC.  KIND also advocates for changes in policies to better protect the rights of unaccompanied children.

Please join our national movement for unaccompanied children.

Introduction Video

World Refugee Day 2010: Protecting Unaccompanied Children in the United States

Read KIND's statement

Protection of Haitian Children Vital to Relief Effort: U.S. Can Do More to Safeguard Children

The U.S. government has taken important and compassionate steps to help Haitian children, but more can be done to ensure their safety.

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Unaccompanied Haitian Children in the U.S. Who Need Help With Immigration Issues in KIND Site Cities

Please contact KIND for free support at info@supportkind.org, or 202.824.8680. KIND has offices in Baltimore, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, New York City, and Washington, DC.

KIND Applauds Humanitarian Parole for Selected Haitian Orphans; Urges U.S. to Consider Other Children With Serious Medical Needs

"As relief workers identify children who have been separated or orphaned, as a first step we urge the U.S. government to consider granting humanitarian parole to those children who have urgent medical needs," KIND Executive Director Wendy Young says. "The careful and caring implementation of such a policy would help children who are perhaps the most vulnerable in Haiti at this time."

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KIND Welcomes TPS for Haitians

"This is the right thing to do for Haitians - both in the U.S. and in Haiti - and we thank the administration for taking this vital step," says KIND Executive Director Wendy Young. "There is no question that it is not safe for anyone to return to Haiti at this time - nor in the near future. This is particularly true for children as they are most vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation, violence and abuse which are rife in emergency situations." Read more here

Read about what KIND is doing to help Haitians.

Helping Children Alone in the United States

More than 8,000 children come to the United States each year without a parent or legal guardian and are put into the custody of the U.S. government; numerous others enter alone but live "underground" in secrecy and deprivation in a desperate attempt to evade U.S. authorities.

Many of these children are fleeing severe abuse or persecution, others are victims of trafficking for forced prostitution or other illicit activities. The majority must face immigration court proceedings alone - without the help of a lawyer because, unlike most Western countries, children in immigration court are not required to have a lawyer - even though the government in these proceedings is represented by one.

Drawing often helps unaccompanied children remember happier times.

The result is that those children with viable claims for U.S. protection are unable to make their case without a lawyer and are sent back to their country of origin, where their well-being, or even their lives, may be in danger.

KIND helps find these children a free lawyer who will help them make their claim for U.S. protection if they have one; if they don't, the lawyer will help ensure that they are returned to their country of origin as safely and compassionately as possible.

KIND Coordinator Receives OC Hispanic Bar Association Award

Gladis Molina, KIND's Pro Bono Coordinator in Los Angeles receives the OC HBA Guardian de Justicia award.

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