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.
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