“I would want them legally to be able to come to America or to be able to live in America, just without being forced into these places away from their parents.”

In late June of this year, the story of brothers Ben and Carter Wilson, aged 10 and 8, began making the rounds due to their philanthropic efforts. With the aid of their parents, the boys set up a lemonade stand in Overland Park, Kansas intending to help migrant children at the United States and Mexico border.

The Trump administration has drawn harsh criticism from humanitarian organizations and U.S. citizens for the inhumane conditions they have reduced asylum seekers to live in. The stories coming from the border crisis motivated the two brothers to do what they could to help children suffering at the border.

Kids In Need Of Defense

Kids In Need Of Defense (KIND) is the organization in which Ben and Carter are working with to help children in need. KIND provides the following details concerning their work.

KIND provides pro bono attorneys to represent unaccompanied children in their deportation proceedings, as well as legal screenings, and Know Your Rights presentations. We do this largely through our partnerships with major law firms and corporations, as well as law schools which have agreed to represent children referred to KIND at no cost. KIND trains and mentors our volunteer attorneys so no prior immigration experience is necessary.
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KIND’s Family Separation Response Team is addressing the profound crisis caused by the Trump Administration taking children away from their parents upon arrival at the U.S. border during its “Zero Tolerance Policy.” We are helping children and families address the long-term consequences of this devastating policy and seek protection.

“I would want them legally to be able to come to America or to be able to live in America, just without being forced into these places away from their parents,” Ben told the Kansas City Star in an interview. “I just hope they can have a normal life in America.”

Ben and Carter’s parents walked a fine while informing their sons about the border crisis, yet they were confident in linking up with KIND’s mission to help serve those who are in difficult circumstances.

How Ben And Carter Became Informed About The Border Crisis

The sign in front of Ben and Carter Wilson’s lemonade stand. (Photo: YouTube)

“I don’t think there are deep conversations necessarily about some of that are more troubling about it, so what they did happen to see on the news was that there are kids that need assistance at the border. But other than that, in terms of details, that’s not something we necessarily share openly,” the boys’ father John told the Kansas City Star during an interview.

John stated his wife had the original idea to look into what the family could do to help children who are suffering at the border, and their sons decided to repurpose their lemonade stand to help KIND in their efforts.

While it’s unlikely Ben and Carter are aware of the more graphic details, they were still motivated to do something to help.