Nerd Pride Radio

Suppose your (nurse, teacher, child's friend's parent, boss, employee) is deported and leaves behind kids who are U.S. citizens and stay here legally. But they are under 18, without relatives to help them here, and would need support and local parents for some years. Would you adopt/serve as temporary guardian of a kid in this situation? Do you know anyone who is doing this now or planning to, just in case?

Yes, absolutely, in an instant.

No. I don't know anyone going through this.

I would give it serious consideration.

This is a tough one for me. My husband has a more realistic grasp of life and so for him it's not even a question, for us to consider taking on the slightest additional thing.

I would be tempted by my house probably wouldn't be a good environment.

Probably the people running around in risque Sailor Moon costumes.

Yes, and can you send the address again? For a... story I'm working on.

I do not know anyone in this position. However, in the past, my wife and I have several times had conversations about what we would need to do if we had a chance to take in children in need that we know/knew. It has never come to pass that our services were needed (or even close to it), but we've had those discussions.

We are having that discussion and the answer is probably no. Maybe if our kids were older, parents were younger, or jobs were more normal. However, I can see that answer changing if specific new circumstances arise, since eventually some moral line could appear that isn't there for us now. I'm finding it hard to live like "make your corner of the world ok and pay some other people to fix another corner" is an adequate way to live. But also struggling with a lot of other stuff that interferes.

Exactly. The answer changes for each era of life and each particular kid who might be in need. A behaviorally troubled 11-year-old back when we had three kids under 10? Not a great idea. Now that our youngest is 11 and two of the kids are out of high school, there's more that we could do. There have been times we've thought we could and times we've known it wouldn't be a good fit.

Our youngest is to a point where the wife and I are starting to think about what we want to do when the nest is empty. In 5 years he'll be off to college, and 9 years (hopefully) he'll be completely out of the house. Taking in a well-behaved kid whose on the same timeline would probably be something we'd seriously consider. Taking in a much younger kid, or someone with behavioral issues, or multiple kids, might not be something we'd be willing to do, though we would be willing to provide some support to whoever does take them in.

No question, absolutely.
Also, if you have a crisis you can't manage, come live with me, or send them to live with me. End of statement.

Yes, I absolutely have students in this exact circumstance. Fortunately NY is somewhat more secure than other places, so far, at least. See above.

Phoebe, it's time to give it up. You're still not getting my firstborn. There will never be a firstborn.

If I could, sure. I am in no position to do that, however.

I feel positive that my wife and I would if we knew someone in this circumstance. Of course, Urbana, IL is a "sanctuary city" (or at least I heard they were planning to do that, last I heard...) so I doubt we will run into any issues with that in this neck of the woods...