The Trump administration, facing a surge in migrant families entering the United States, is moving swiftly to examine an array of new policies it hopes will deter Central Americans from journeying north.
Read MoreThe government is violating a federal judge’s order to stop medicating immigrant children held at a troubled Texas shelter without proper consent and to move the children to other housing, attorneys for the children allege in new court filings.
Read MoreThe Center for American Progress estimates that, over a decade, the proposed rule to dissolve the Flores Settlement, which would allow the Trump administration to indefinitely incarcerate children, would cost DHS slightly more than $2 billion at the low end, and as much as $12.9 billion at the high end.
Migrant children who come into the U.S. without family are staying longer in crowded shelters as authorities struggle to handle their growing numbers and to screen potential sponsors, according to government data and advocates.
Read MoreThis report provides information on the social services offered by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS) and the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) in response to the family separation crisis. It also highlights ongoing work and provides recommendations for policymakers, elected officials, and child welfare experts.
Administration officials are weighing a proposal that could result in parents and kids once again being split up by the US government — but this time, it would be the parents’ choice.
Read MoreCatholic Legal Immigration Network , Inc. (October 19, 2018)
On Oct. 9, a federal court preliminarily approved a settlement agreement between plaintiffs and the government in three cases challenging the government’s family separation policies: Dora v. Sessions, Ms. L v. ICE, and M.M.M. v. Sessions. The settlement will allow parents whose credible or reasonable fear interviews were denied after having their children taken from them to have their claims re-evaluated. This webinar will explain the terms of the preliminary settlement agreement and who can benefit from this agreement. Registration closes on October 18th.
Register HereThis report focuses on Central American Immigrants’ access to legal services. It documents legal service gaps, catalogues the principal challenges confronting community-based legal service providers, and highlights strategies for enhancing service provider capacity and overcoming access barriers.
The DHS Office of Inspector General released a special review concerning family separation issues under the zero-tolerance policy. This review covers issues such as lack of resources, inadequate tracking systems, and inconsistent information given to parents.
Trump’s policy on family detention, like the brief foray into family separation that was a result of the administration’s zero-tolerance policy ordering the prosecution of all illegal border crossers, is intended to deter future unauthorized arrivals, including asylum seekers. Yet there is little to suggest the policy will have the deterrent effect the administration is seeking.
President Trump confirmed Saturday that he is considering a new family separation policy at the U.S.-Mexico border because he believes the administration’s earlier move to separate migrant children from parents was an effective deterrent to illegal crossings.
Read MoreSpread the word about the proposed changes to the “public charge” rule to your networks. CLASP created a comprehensive digital toolkit for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram — complete with 1) sample social media, 2) graphics, and 3) a sample e-blast for your email lists.
Find More InformationSubmit a comment from your perspective about why you oppose the Trump administration’s new regulations to indefinitely detain children, lower standards of care in immigration jails, and remove legal protections from minors seeking safety in the U.S.
Find More InformationAs the Trump administration proposes changes to federal “public charge” policies, the resulting fear and uncertainty among immigrant families about using public programs could drive down enrollment in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, potentially by millions of people, a new analysis by KFF (the Kaiser Family Foundation) shows.
Read MoreA new report by Amnesty International finds that the Trump administration has separated far more immigrant families than it has publicly admitted. Amnesty reports that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) forcibly separated more than 6,000 family units between mid-April and mid-August under the White House’s “zero tolerance” policy. That number, it says, “excluded countless other families whose separations were not recorded.”
Read MoreThere has been a new wave of children in the immigration courts across America. Though the exact figures are not known, lawyers who work with immigrants said the large number of migrant children now being held in detention has given rise to a highly unusual situation: more and more young children coming to court.
Read MoreA renewed surge in Central American family migration is overwhelming private shelters and U.S. immigration holding centers here, raising new questions about the Trump administration’s deterrence policies.
Read MoreThese three charts outline the different requirements for acquiring and deriving citizenship for children. Because the law governing acquisition and derivation has changed many times and is generally not retroactive, these charts detail what the eligibility requirements are depending on the time period in question.
When children become separated from their families, the parent-child bond is disrupted. The disruption in the parent-child bond, as understood through Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory, can harm children’s psychological health. Children can become less flexible, open, and adaptable to the world around them.
Read MoreResource guide from the American Bar Association 2018 Fall Conference concerning children whose parents have been detained and deported.
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