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On Friday, April 25, three young U.S. citizen children—including a two-year-old toddler and a four-year-old battling Stage 4 kidney cancer—were deported without due process, without medical consultation, and without their family’s consent. This devastating act violates the most basic principles of due process, child welfare, and human dignity.
At the Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI), we are heartbroken and deeply alarmed by these horrific and heartless actions. The deportation of vulnerable children—especially a gravely ill child fighting cancer—is not a policy decision; it is a moral failure. It is an abandonment of the values that define our nation: compassion, fairness, and the sanctity of family.
This moment weighs heavily on our Founder and Executive Director, Dauda Sesay, who knows all too well the pain of forced separation:
“At the age of 16, I was torn from my family during the war in Sierra Leone. I witnessed my father’s death before my eyes. My seven-year-old sister was burned alive. I carry the scars of a gunshot wound to my leg and a hand nearly severed. I know the terror of running for your life. I know the agony of losing loved ones. What happened to these children is not enforcement—it is cruelty. It is a betrayal of every value we hold dear. — Dauda Sesay, Founder & Executive Director, LORI
The deportation of a two-year-old child and a four-year-old child with kidney cancer, without due process, is inexcusable and concerning. We must ask ourselves: What threat did these small children pose to the safety of Louisiana or to our country? The answer is none. Their only “offense” was needing care, protection, love, and a safe home.
The collective outrage among national immigrant and refugee advocates—shared through partners at America’s Voice—makes clear: This is a humanitarian crisis. It demands a collective, moral response.
In one of his final messages to the world before his passing, Pope Francis left us with these words on Easter: “On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas!” — Pope Francis, Easter 2025
Pope Francis called on all of us to open our hearts – to welcome those seeking a better life, and to deepen our solidarity with all human beings. This is not just about policy. It is about protecting the soul of our communities, the future of our children, and the moral compass of our country.
Today, we urgently call on:
- Elected officials to act immediately to protect families, uphold constitutional rights, and ensure accountability for these violations.
- Faith leaders to raise their voices in solidarity, reminding us that compassion must guide our laws and actions.
- Every caring individual to contact your representatives, speak out, and stand with your refugee and immigrant neighbors.
Sesay’s compelling words highlight: “If a two-year-old American child and a four-year-old fighting cancer can be treated as threats, it is not these children who have failed our nation—it is our nation that has failed them.”
At LORI, we will continue to advocate, to defend, and to lift up the humanity of every child, every family, and every life deemed “other” or “less.”
We invite everyone to join us in this urgent work. We will not be silent. We will not abandon the children. Their humanity demands our action.
About LORI
Louisiana Organization for Refugees and Immigrants (LORI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping refugees and immigrants achieve self-sufficiency by providing them access to critical services and support. At LORI, we promote diversity and inclusion, fight for humane immigration policies, and expand capacities around immigration legal services, policy advocacy, educational access, and civic engagement & Organizing.
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