11/23/2018

BORDER/CHILDREN/DHS/IMMIGRATION/LAWSUIT/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “A record number of unaccompanied immigrant children, about 14,000, are currently in US custody, a Health and Human Services spokesman said Friday [11-23-18]. The spokesman, Mark Weber, said the additional requirements put in place by the Trump administration to “reduce risk and increase safety” for immigrant children contributed to the high number…Last spring, the Trump administration heightened scrutiny of adults coming forward to take care of the immigrant children, and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement now conducts exhaustive screenings of the adults. But many of them are undocumented themselves and fearful of ICE obtaining their information. These Trump administration policies are likely keeping these children in custody. Lawsuits have also accused the administration of extending children’s stays, including allegedly holding them intentionally until they turn 18 and are eligible for stricter adult detention. Many of the children do have a legal right to stay in the US, but the legal process can take years. Weber said the high number was also due to the 50,000 Department of Homeland Security referrals of unaccompanied children this year, which he said is the third-highest annual total. DHS referred 59,170 unaccompanied children to HHS in fiscal year 2016, according to a HHS fact sheet, and 40,810 in fiscal year 2017.”

Kate Sullivan, “Record 14,000 unaccompanied immigrant children in US custody, HHS confirms,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, November 23, 2018 4:48 pm