A federal judge ordered the Trump government today not to deport families of undocumented persons separated on the border after their recent reunification, to an extent that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) denounces has already left the country of more than a hundred parents .
In a hearing for the Government to detail how the process of reunification of about 3,000 children separated from their parents by the policy of “zero tolerance” with the undocumented, Judge Dana Sabraw of San Diego (California), decreed that the Administration can not deport these families for a week.
During this time, the Government should analyze the ACLU request that immigrants be given a week of margin after being reunited with the objective that all families, in an informed manner and without pressure, analyze the best for both parents As children, either return to their countries of origin or request political asylum, among other options.
ACLU, which filed the class action lawsuit on behalf of migrants who were estranged from their children, expressed concern after receiving reports that the government was deporting parents once they were reunited with their children in “a few hours” and without giving them the opportunity to consult your legal options.
Based on the list given to them this weekend by order of the court, the ACLU estimates that at least a hundred are no longer in the country.
Lee Gelernt, an ACLU lawyer, said after the hearing that they were “extremely satisfied” with the judge’s decision and insisting that the Government comply with the delivery of minors within the period established from the beginning, that the next day 26.
During the hearing, the government’s attorney, Sarah Fabian, asked for time to analyze whether the order to stop deportations from the parents could interfere with the reunification process due to the lack of space to house families, but the judge was resounding in saying that There must be delays and they must “make room”.
By order of the San Diego magistrate, the Trump Administration is rushing to meet the deadline of the 26th to return his parents to the nearly 3,000 children that the government separated as a result of their “zero tolerance” against illegal immigration.
ACLU said today that they have received two lists from the Government about the rest of the children who are still separated, the parents have 1,600 names and the children about 2,500.
Last Tuesday, the first part of the term given by Sabraw to the Government to reunify the families of the youngest children was fulfilled.
The Government had to hand over 103 children under 5 years of age, although in the end that figure was reduced to 57, due, according to the Executive, to security measures with children, among other reasons.
ACLU says it has news that family reunification of children between 5 and 17 years old has already begun, and that these immigrants are “at serious risk” of “being reunited only to be immediately deported, without all the information” about their options , despite being cases of “life or death”.
However, the Government did not specify how many families were reunited this weekend, although he promised that these numbers would be available today and said that they will expedite the delivery, but, yes, with confirmation of kinship or guarantee that the father is able to receive it.
Sabraw conceded until next Thursday for the Trump Administration to carry out all the planned DNA tests and, in this way, guarantee that the deadline can be met.
The Government has not yet been able to identify the parents of 71 children in their care, confirmed Major Jonathan White of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and “architect of the reunification plan” who was present during the hearing. today to expand on their delivery plan for minors.
At today’s hearing, statements came from Chris Meekins, HHS’s top official, about his fear that by simplifying the investigation process the risk of surrendering a child to an adult other than his or her father would increase. a danger to him.
Sabraw described these comments as “irritating” and “deeply disturbing”, since, in his opinion, they are far from the “context of this case,” which, he recalled, are parents who must prove they have no criminal record or represent a danger for the child’s welfare.
The magistrate reiterated that these are families “unduly separated” by the Government and that this large group of individuals must be “quickly reunified”.
