The League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn will host a panel discussion via Zoom titled “Children Alone: Understanding Minors in the US Immigration System” from 7 to 8:15 p.m. March 19,

Unaccompanied minors in the U.S. Immigration system is something often discussed and written about but seldom understood. Who are these children? Where are they from? What happens to them once they arrive? What if their parent or guardian is deported or detained? Who and what systems are in place in the US for their care and protection?

This League of Women Voters panel brings together professionals who work with cases involving unaccompanied children including an immigration attorney, a program manager from the National Immigrant Justice Center and a nonprofit social worker.

Panelists will explain the legal framework, child welfare process and on-the-ground realities facing these minors from their arrival at the border, to court proceedings and long-term placement.

The discussion will focus on facts, lived experience, and the roles of government, nonprofits, and communities in responding to this humanitarian issue.