Yes, to all except the more than 10,000 unfortunate, innocent children languishing in United States government immigration detention centers. They have nothing to be thankful for, deprived as they are of enjoying the best of years of their lives for the crime of fleeing violence, hunger and hopelessness.

What can they or their families be thankful for?

Celebrating Thanksgiving with delicious food and happy children in a warm, comfortable home is a wonderful U.S. tradition. Thanksgiving is, after all, the most American of holidays.  Yet, the fact that this country has the world’s highest child incarceration rates is something to be deeply ashamed of, not thankful.

Manfred Nowak, a human rights lawyer based in Vienna, Austria, wrote “Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty.” According to National Public Radio (NPR) although the U.S. signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it never ratified it, so it doesn’t “formally apply to the United States of America.” Yet, Nowak insists the country cannot simply ignore the atrocities committed here.

“I am deeply convinced that these are violations of international law,” Nowak said. He added, “The same is also true for the high number of children being deprived of liberty in the administration of justice” in the U.S.

This Thanksgiving, while enjoying the love and warmth of the most American of holidays, it should not be forgotten that thousands of children languish behind bars in the U.S.  A shameful reality which should give decent people pause and inspire them to elevate a prayer for justice and compassion for those kids, their parents and the soul of the nation.