"We're not questioning the government's right to deport. We lose that fight," Hilton said. "But these children are citizens under the 14th Amendment. That debate also is over.

"It is our feeling that these minor children have largely been overlooked by authorities in actions against their parents. We feel it is imperative that the children and parents know all the options facing them."

The lawsuit says immigration officials don't provide a way for children to obtain American passports if they leave the country; such children are not apprised of the steps they must take to protect their American citizenship if they leave; no provision is made for older children to seek a declaration that they are emancipated adults, able to stay on their own; and parents are not told of such options as appointing a guardian for their children.

Rodrigues, a native of Brazil, helps shepherd a group of approximately 150 children born in America to undocumented parents. She said she has a special feel for their anxieties.

"I came here in 1973. It took me 19 years to get my green card," she said. "It can be a tremendous frustration dealing with the INS. You can call immigration three times and get three answers. It's not an easy thing.

"As the laws now stand, I don't think these parents should come here. I think there should be stricter controls at the borders. But I only say that because the way the law now works it hurts the children so much.

"Personally, I think immigration should be cherished by all Americans. Immigrants are the greatness of America, which is this great big body of hopes and dreams. New immigrants come and they pump blood and life and energy into that body and they make it stronger."

Current immigration law says when American-born children are 21, they may seek to have their illegal parents join them.

"But kids don't need parents so much when they're 21. They need them when they're little," Rodrigues said.

Under the circumstances, Rodrigues said, the best scenario for American-born children of undocumented parents is allowing parents to stay here and rear them. That is a hot potato too hard to handle for most politicians, she said.

"I know that would be difficult to actually be made into law," she said. "But I'm thinking of what's best for the children. Primarily, I'm not defending the parents. I'm not defending our borders. I'm defending the children. These children are our Americans of tomorrow. They need to tribe with other American children so they can be part of the American dream."

In her letter, Micah cited Isaiah: "Learn to do good, to pursue justice, comfort the oppressed, take care of the orphan, defend the widow."

She asked for America to live up to that.

"Don't permit any laws that would continue to allow the separation of families," Micah wrote. "My friends and I no longer want our parents to be so afraid. We no longer want to cry at night thinking that we may have been left orphans."