Trump leaves hundreds of children in "limbo"

A US judge noted that the federal government had reunited several separated immigrant families at the border, but he criticized the fact that hundreds of children whose parents have no trace are always in limbo.

At a hearing in San Diego, California, Judge Dana Sabraw granted "big credit" to the government's efforts to return 1,820 immigrant children aged 5 to 18 years with their parents or guardians before its expiration. the deadline of Thursday, however clarified that it remains to solve the reunification of the rest of the families.

In yesterday's session, Justice Department lawyers reported that another 650 minors are not "eligible" to be delivered to their parents including 431 children of parents who were deported and a few dozen who failed to be contacted after being released from the custody of the Office of Inmi and Customs (ICE, acronym in English)

The magistrate stated that the Government had failed to trace several parents and pointed out that the next phase would correspond to its location.

Applause for the "Disaster"

Scott Stewars, a government lawyer, said that the administration worked "in good faith" to meet the deadline stipulated by the court, which was refuted by ACLU, the organization that started a lawsuit against the government for the separation of immigrant families as a result of the "zero tolerance" policy against illegal immigration.

"It's as if the government wanted applause to erase its own mess. There are still hundreds of children who have not been reunited the trauma caused to these children will never be able to leave "said the deputy director and l 39; Principal Attorney of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Lee Gelernt

During the hearing, the government indicated that a thousand families reunited had already been arrested. an order and expulsion date, of which 392 are still in the custody of the immigration authorities.

They ask for time to study the options

The lawyers of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) insisted that, after being reunited, the families lasted at least seven days before his expulsion, to study his options, including leaving his children in the United States with a guardian.

Lee Gelernt, an ACLU director said that r parents, this could be "the last time they see their children," while taking into account the emotional effects caused to many children, some of whom have come to "blame their parents."

"The trauma is much bigger than we thought.

The lawyer also hinted at a group of 120 parents who gave up their right to reunification. from which they took a hasty decision based on "misleading" information or without understanding the language

Reunification and expulsion

Controversial family separations began in May, as part of the president's "zero tolerance" policy . Donald Trump, when migrants, who were fleeing the violence of Central America, entered the country by the southern border, illegally or sought asylum.

They were arrested and prosecuted en mbade, while the children with whom they came were sent to shelters across the country.

This policy provoked a wave of convictions inside and outside the United States that forced the president to end it.