Mares Statement on Border Separations

Today, former three-division world champion Abner Mares issued the following statement regarding the widely publicized separations of children and parents at United States borders by the US government.

“I came to the United States from Mexico at age seven. I came here without the proper documents and didn’t speak English. Like so many women before her, my mother brought my brother, sister and myself here for a better life. Life wasn’t easy, and we watched her work three jobs. We all did what we could—I would dumpster dive for bottles and cans to help pay for food.

“But it didn’t matter, because we were working towards our dreams—our American dreams.

“Now, as an American resident who will become an American citizen in 2019, as a father, a son and a brother, it makes my heart break to see and hear of the forced separation of parents from their children at the borders. We all have dreams, we all have family…regardless of borders. What is happening at the borders of this country, of MY country, it is simply inhuman.

“I’m an example of the American AND Mexican dreams combined, the North American dream. I have a successful career in boxing, and a successful business in the United States and Mexico that employs both American and Mexican citizens. I am lucky enough to have a loving family that is happy, healthy and together.

“As a father and human being I can’t stay silent, and I cannot condone what is going on…putting children of any age in a prison camp is not what we as caring humans do.

“The founders of this country said that we are all ‘one people, under God, indivisible’ and that there is indeed, justice for all. The symbol of our country, the Statue of Liberty, herself, says to bring us your poor, your huddled masses…are we to remove that saying, ignore that line, that sentiment?

“This isn’t unity, this isn’t diversity, this is division. This is going against what God asks of us as humans. The trauma these children and adults face will haunt them for their lifetime.

“I join the world and condemn the unjust imprisonment of children and ask all my fans, followers and supporters to call their elected officials—Congressmen and Congresswomen, Senators, House Representatives, Councilmen, Mayors and Governors.

“Your voice MUST be heard.

“It’s simple. Go to facebook.com/townhall and all your representatives and their phone numbers appear. Or go to https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative to find your representative.

“Email them, call them, and tell them that all it takes is one sentence of legislation, one phone call from the President to stop this.

“All families seeking asylum or crossing the border of the United States, either documented or not, shall not be separated from their minor children.

“It is not illegal to seek asylum at the border of any country. These people are not criminals. They are seeking asylum, a better life. It is not their fault the immigration system of the United States is broken and Congress has been unable to agree on a humane solution. They are innocent. They are children.

“We can stop this.

“It takes one sentence to put an end to this.

“One sentence. It doesn’t take debate, pages of documents, weeks. One sentence, one vote, one call.

“I urge lawmakers on all sides of the aisle to put people first and politics second.

“Call your legislatures. Email your representatives. Demand a vote to end family separations today.”