Family Reunion and Detention Lyrics, to Mother and Child Reunion, Paul Simon,
Lory Rosenberg (originally parodied in 2015, re 2014 “surge”), revised in 2018.No, I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But a parent-child reunion,
Just might be a long time away.Oh, desperate client of mine,
Your babies ripped from your arms
And taken by ICE from you,
Without any thought of harm.
Cause racism works this way,
In the course of enforcement,
Over and over again,No, I would not give you false hope
As the days keep passing by,
Because some of these parents and children,
May never reunify.Oh, parents who fled their homes,
In fear that their kids would die,
And begged for protection here,
But found it to be a lie.
Cause racism works that way
Under the Trump regime
Over and over again.Oh, desperate client of mine
They’ve taken your liberty
Imprisoned your child with you
By claiming you’d surely flee
But deterrence breaks the law, and
Jail is no good for kids,
Under the Flores case
No I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
So the end of
family detention
Is surely a long time away.Oh, desperate client of mine
Though you left your home in fearThe mistreatment that you’ve fled
Has only continued here.The cold and indignity,
The meals that your child can’t eat,
The memories you must eraseNo I would not give you false hope
On this strange and mournful day
But release from family detention Is likely a lawsuit away
Yes, release from family detention Is likely a lawsuit away.
~END~