Nastacio-Heidbrink

In "Recasting the Agency of Unaccompanied Youth", Lauren Heidbrink discusses the idea of kinship ties and how illegal children are often put in the position where they have to chose between their family and the state. For example, she uses Mario as an example. It is interesting to note that although Mario's dad abused him, when he was captured as an illegal alien he refused to tell the court about it. He said, "I just can't say those bad things about my family to a room of people. You do not do that. They are my family." Even though his dad abused him, he still felt a sense of loyalty and connection towards his family. It was also interesting to note that although laws in the United States do not regard children as property, immigration laws are still framing children as objects. The identity of the child is only depended not their legal status and their parents actions. This seems as if it would make it difficult for these children to know who to stay loyal to: their family or the state. Why should children have to be in the position to have to choose?