National initiative kicked off on International Children’s Book Day with a multi-hour read-a-thon, virtual participants, and a 30-day call to action
Apr 03 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, April 3, 2026
CONTACT: Daniela Perez, [email protected]
National initiative kicked off on International Children’s Book Day with a multi-hour read-a-thon, virtual participants, and a 30-day call to action
DILLEY – On Thursday, April 2, READ THEM HOME: End Family Detention launched in Dilley, Texas, with a multi-hour read-a-thon calling for an end to family detention and freedom for children and families seeking safety.
Launched on International Children’s Book Day, the national initiative brought together advocates, educators, care workers, authors, labor and community leaders, and families in Dilley and beyond to spotlight the harm of family detention and build public pressure to end the practice. Led by the 10 Steps Campaign, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, SEIU, FWD.us, Community Change, the National Coalition to End Family and Child Detention, Little Lobbyists, MomsRising, and San Antonio Stands, the initiative began with a public reading action near the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley and continues with a 30-day virtual reading challenge for supporters nationwide.
As ProPublica has reported, more than 11,000 parents of U.S. citizen children have been detained under the current administration, with ICE holding an average of 170 children each day. Many of those detained are families who had been living in U.S. communities for years and were taken into custody at routine ICE check-ins, bus stops, hospitals, and airports, often despite having active asylum cases, humanitarian parole, U.S. citizen relative sponsors, and no criminal record. Families at Dilley have been served food with worms and mold, placed in overcrowded bunks, and with children and parents suffering medical neglect and serious mental health harm.
ICYMI:
Among those that participated in the April 2 vigil include Stacey Abrams, former Georgia House minority leader and Lead Organizer for the 10 Steps Campaign; Jenn Stowe, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance; Ai-jen Poo, President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance; Susie Jaramillo, children’s book author, president and chief creative officer of Encantos, and creator of the Emmy-nominated bilingual series Canticos; Rafael Agustín, author of the bestselling memoir Illegally Yours; Mychal “The Librarian” Threets, PBS and PBS kids resident librarian, host of the Reading Rainbow; Glennon Doyle, bestselling author, podcaster, and philanthropist, and author of Untamed; Ilana Glazer, comedian, actor, advocate, and creator of Broad City; David Bowles, South Texas author of the award-winning They Call Me Güero; Stuart Hausmann, Texas-based award-winning artist and illustrator, author of Linus; Laekan Zea Kemp, Texas based award winning author of Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet; Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of Trust Me, I’m Lying; Greg Foley, author and illustrator of Thank You Bear and Don’t Worry Bear; Elena Hung, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Little Lobbyists; Rocío Sáenz, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU; Laura Flores-Dixit, Managing Attorney at American Gateways; Vicko Alvarez, illustrator and comic book artist; and Giomara Bazaldua, San Antonio-born dancer, producer, and choreographer whose work blends culture, movement, and activism.
Child care workers and educators are also serving as featured readers throughout the vigil. Additional supporters are expected to participate throughout the 30-day activation using #ReadThemHome.
READ THEM HOME: End Family Detention is grounded in the belief that every child should be free to grow up with safety, care, and innocence – and that every family deserves dignity and freedom.
