Justice Department failed ‘zero tolerance’ border policy management, report says
4 years, 2 months ago

Justice Department failed ‘zero tolerance’ border policy management, report says

LA Times  

David Xol-Cholom, of Guatemala, reunites with his son Byron at Los Angeles International Airport on Jan. 22, 2020, after they were separated during the Trump administration’s wide-scale separation of immigrant families. Justice Department leaders under President Trump knew their 2018 “zero tolerance” border policy would result in family separations but pressed on with prosecutions even as other agencies became overwhelmed with migrants, a government watchdog report released Thursday has found. The report from the inspector general for the Justice Department found that leadership failed to prepare to implement the policy or manage the fallout, which resulted in more than 3,000 family separations and caused lasting emotional damage to children who were taken from their parents at the border. The report follows other scathing investigations of the policy, adding to the evidence that Trump administration officials knew a zero-tolerance policy would result in family separations and inflict trauma on immigrant parents and children. A watchdog report from Department of Health and Human Services found that children separated at the border, many already distressed by their life in their home countries or by their journey, showed more fear, feelings of abandonment and post-traumatic stress symptoms than children who were not separated.

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History of this topic

Trump’s three-day immigration blitz severely tightens border, sets stage for rapid deportations
2 months ago

Trump’s three-day immigration blitz severely tightens border, sets stage for rapid deportations

CNN  

Washington CNN — The Trump administration has moved with lightning speed to roll out the president’s immigration agenda, effectively closing off the US southern border to asylum seekers, severely limiting who’s eligible to enter the United States and laying the groundwork to swiftly deport migrants already in the country. Providers who receive federal funding and work in immigration detention were …

Trump’s three-day immigration blitz severely tightens border, sets stage for rapid deportations
2 months ago

Trump’s three-day immigration blitz severely tightens border, sets stage for rapid deportations

CNN  

Washington CNN — The Trump administration has moved with lightning speed to roll out the president’s immigration agenda, effectively closing off the US southern border to asylum seekers, severely limiting who’s eligible to enter the United States and laying the groundwork to swiftly deport migrants already in the country. Providers who receive federal funding and work in immigration detention were …

'We cannot ignore it': Legal expert explains how citizens can fight 'inhumane' Trump plan
2 months, 3 weeks ago

'We cannot ignore it': Legal expert explains how citizens can fight 'inhumane' Trump plan

Raw Story  

Donald Trump is riding into the White House on a wave of campaign promises, and some of them, if fulfilled, could amount to "child abuse," an ex-prosecutor said. "The resurrection of the inhumane 'zero tolerance' policy that led to family separations during Trump’s first administration is still haunting," the legal expert said ahead of the weekend. "Even if family separation …

'Calculated cruelty': Report details lasting harms of Trump family separation policy
3 months, 1 week ago

'Calculated cruelty': Report details lasting harms of Trump family separation policy

Raw Story  

A report published Monday by a coalition of human rights groups estimates that as many as 1,360 children who were separated from their parents under the first Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy have yet to be reunited, causing immense suffering for families ensnared in the punitive effort to deter border crossings. "Forcible separation of children from their families inflicted harms …

Donald Trump’s New ‘Border Czar’ Defended Child Separation at Festival Held by Gun-Worshipping Sect
55 years, 2 months ago

Donald Trump’s New ‘Border Czar’ Defended Child Separation at Festival Held by Gun-Worshipping Sect

Wired  

Tom Homan, the man president-elect Donald Trump has selected to serve as “border czar,” defended his family separation policy at an extremist festival last month surrounded by QAnon promoters, election conspiracists, and church leaders wearing crowns of bullets. “Trump comes back, I come back, And I will run the biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen,” Homan told a …

How America Forgot About One of Trump’s Most Brutal Policies
5 months ago

How America Forgot About One of Trump’s Most Brutal Policies

Politico  

How did we get here? That failure could ultimately make it easier for a second Trump administration to implement a more draconian immigration crackdown, perhaps including something akin to another family separation policy. It has become commonplace to describe our immigration system as broken — as a legislative and bureaucratic morass — but Trump’s family separation policy was not business …

Judge orders top Trump administration officials answer for family separation policy
1 year, 6 months ago

Judge orders top Trump administration officials answer for family separation policy

Salon  

Two Trump-era administration officials have been mandated to testify as part of a lawsuit filed against the U.S. government for separating migrant children under the age of 18 from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Federal magistrate judge Kandis Westmore of California on Monday issued a decision telling the Justice Department and attorneys for the affected families to meet in …

US in talks to pay hundreds of millions to families separated at border
3 years, 4 months ago

US in talks to pay hundreds of millions to families separated at border

Live Mint  

The Biden administration is in talks to offer immigrant families that were separated during the Trump administration around $450,000 a person in compensation, according to people familiar with the matter, as several agencies work to resolve lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who say the government subjected them to lasting psychological trauma. The number of families eligible under …

US steps up effort to unite families separated under Trump
3 years, 6 months ago

US steps up effort to unite families separated under Trump

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is expanding its effort to find and reunite migrant families who were separated at the U.S.-Mexico border under President Donald Trump as part of a zero-tolerance policy on illegal crossings. “We recognize that we can’t make these families completely whole again,” said Michelle Brané, executive director of the administration’s Family Reunification Task Force. “But we …

Families separated at Mexico border ask for residency, aid
3 years, 7 months ago

Families separated at Mexico border ask for residency, aid

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Several parents who were separated from their children on the U.S.-Mexico border during former President Donald Trump’s administration on Friday asked the Homeland Security Secretary for permanent legal residency in the United States and compensation, said the mother of two of the children. Keldy Mabel Gonzales Brebe, who was separated from two sons in the fall of …

Trump administration forced deported parents to leave their kids behind, watchdog says
3 years, 10 months ago

Trump administration forced deported parents to leave their kids behind, watchdog says

LA Times  

In this March 24 photo, a migrant man, center, holds a child as he looks at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent at an intake area after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in Roma, Texas. A government watchdog says the Trump administration, under its practice of separating families at the border, forced migrant parents to leave the U.S. without their …

AP Exclusive: DOJ rescinds ‘zero tolerance’ immigration rule
4 years, 2 months ago

AP Exclusive: DOJ rescinds ‘zero tolerance’ immigration rule

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations. Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has been committed and that the …

Justice Department Rescinds Trump's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Policy
4 years, 2 months ago

Justice Department Rescinds Trump's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Policy

NPR  

Justice Department Rescinds Trump's 'Zero Tolerance' Immigration Policy Enlarge this image toggle caption Ross D. Franklin/AP Ross D. Franklin/AP The Justice Department has ended the Trump-era "zero tolerance" policy for immigration offenses that allowed the U.S. government to separate thousands of children from their parents. Wilkinson's move Tuesday is largely symbolic as Trump stopped family separations at the border by …

Biden rescinds Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy involving family separations at US-Mexico border
4 years, 2 months ago

Biden rescinds Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy involving family separations at US-Mexico border

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President Joe Biden has revoked the “zero tolerance” policy of …

DOJ Rescinds ‘Zero Tolerance’ Immigration Rule Used For Family Separation
4 years, 2 months ago

DOJ Rescinds ‘Zero Tolerance’ Immigration Rule Used For Family Separation

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING WASHINGTON — The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations. Wilkinson said the department’s principles have “long emphasized that decisions about bringing criminal charges should involve not only a determination that a federal offense has …

Justice Department officially rescinds policy that led to family separations
4 years, 2 months ago

Justice Department officially rescinds policy that led to family separations

CNN  

CNN — The Justice Department formally rescinded the Trump administration’s controversial “zero tolerance” policy that called for the criminal prosecution of adults crossing the border and led to the separation of thousands of families, according to a memo obtained by CNN. In a statement to CNN, a Justice Department spokeswoman called the “zero tolerance” policy “inconsistent with the Department’s longstanding …

Watchdog: DOJ bungled ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy
4 years, 2 months ago

Watchdog: DOJ bungled ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Justice Department leaders under President Donald Trump knew their 2018 “zero tolerance” border policy would result in family separations but pressed on with prosecutions even as other agencies became overwhelmed with migrants, a government watchdog report released Thursday has found. The report from the inspector general for the Justice Department found that leadership failed to prepare to implement …

Jeff Sessions, Rod Rosenstein Blindsided Prosecutors With Family Separation Policy
4 years, 2 months ago

Jeff Sessions, Rod Rosenstein Blindsided Prosecutors With Family Separation Policy

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his then-top deputy, Rod Rosenstein, pushed a “zero tolerance” policy that led to immigrant family separations in spite of concerns raised by top federal prosecutors on the border, who were caught off guard by the decision, according to a new Justice Department watchdog report. Sessions and Rosenstein refused to adjust their …

Justice Department was unprepared for family separations but Sessions pushed it anyway, watchdog says
4 years, 2 months ago

Justice Department was unprepared for family separations but Sessions pushed it anyway, watchdog says

CNN  

CNN — Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions knew early on migrant families would be separated when the Trump administration implemented its controversial “zero tolerance” policy and still proceeded to push for the policy, according to a scathing report from the Justice Department inspector general released Thursday. In 2018, the Trump administration announced the so-called “zero tolerance” policy, in which the …

Report: Management of Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy failed
4 years, 2 months ago

Report: Management of Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy failed

Al Jazeera  

Justice Department leaders under President Donald Trump knew their 2018 “zero tolerance” border policy would result in family separations but pressed on with prosecutions even as other agencies became overwhelmed with migrants, a government watchdog report released on Thursday has found. The report found that one of the administration’s talking points was: “An illegal alien should not get a free …

US still hasn’t reunited 666 children with parents after ‘zero tolerance’ at border
4 years, 4 months ago

US still hasn’t reunited 666 children with parents after ‘zero tolerance’ at border

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Lawyers working to reunite …

The desperate search across Central America, Mexico for parents separated from their children and why hundreds are yet to be found
4 years, 5 months ago

The desperate search across Central America, Mexico for parents separated from their children and why hundreds are yet to be found

ABC  

The parents of 545 children who were separated at the United States-Mexico border in 2017 have still not been found, despite a court order for families to be reunited and a desperate search across Latin America. Key points: Trump administration immigration policies saw families torn apart in 2017 and 2018 More than 1,000 children were allowed to stay in the …

Parents of 545 children separated by Trump administration at Mexico border can't be found, lawyers say
4 years, 5 months ago

Parents of 545 children separated by Trump administration at Mexico border can't be found, lawyers say

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Lawyers have been unable to find the parents of 545 …

Trump administration's family separations at Mexico border are torture, doctors find
5 years, 1 month ago

Trump administration's family separations at Mexico border are torture, doctors find

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In the report, “‘You Will Never See Your Child Again’: The Persistent Psychological Effects …

Why We Will Never Know Exactly How Many Immigrant Families Were Separated
5 years, 4 months ago

Why We Will Never Know Exactly How Many Immigrant Families Were Separated

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Last year, the Trump administration ripped apart thousands of immigrant families despite knowing it did not have a tracking system in place that would ensure they could be reunited, according to a new report from the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Trump administration was prepared to separate more than 26,000 children …

Trump administration separated nearly 1,000 migrant children from their families after policy reversal, report says
5 years, 7 months ago

Trump administration separated nearly 1,000 migrant children from their families after policy reversal, report says

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors …

White House Pushed Secret Plan To Arrest Thousands Of Migrant Families: Reports
5 years, 10 months ago

White House Pushed Secret Plan To Arrest Thousands Of Migrant Families: Reports

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Department of Homeland Security officials considered a secret White House plan to arrest thousands of undocumented migrant parents and children in coordinated raids across the U.S., but the idea was tabled due to a lack of resources, reported The Washington Post and The Associated Press. The massive operation was intended to deter people from crossing the border …

Trump denies reports he will reinstate family separation border policy
5 years, 11 months ago

Trump denies reports he will reinstate family separation border policy

CNN  

Washington CNN — President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday that his administration is not looking to resume the separation of parents and children at the US-Mexico border, denying reports that it is something he has been pushing for. Senior administration officials told CNN’s Jake Tapper that in the last four months or so, the President had been pushing then-Department of …

Trump administration 'needs 2 years' to identify all the migrant children separated from families at border
5 years, 11 months ago

Trump administration 'needs 2 years' to identify all the migrant children separated from families at border

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Trump administration claims it needs up to two years …

A year later, Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ border policy frays
5 years, 11 months ago

A year later, Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ border policy frays

Associated Press  

SAN DIEGO — As the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy hits its anniversary, the promise to criminally prosecute everyone who crosses the Mexico border illegally has been forced to evolve. A surge in family arrivals, largely from Guatemala and Honduras, has led Border Patrol agents to shift attention from preparing criminal cases to caring for children in detention facilities, driving …

Leaked memo reveals Trump administration DID want to separate families at the border
6 years, 2 months ago

Leaked memo reveals Trump administration DID want to separate families at the border

Daily Mail  

A leaked Trump administration memo shows that the government did consider separating families at the US border despite calling press reports on the matter 'irresponsible and unproductive'. A leaked internal Trump administration memo shows that the government considered the merits of separating families at the US border to speed up their deportation According to comments on the document, the administration …

Report: Chaos and confusion after ‘zero tolerance’ policy on immigration
6 years, 5 months ago

Report: Chaos and confusion after ‘zero tolerance’ policy on immigration

CNN  

Washington CNN — A report from the US Government Accountability Office released Wednesday describes chaos and confusion among federal agencies this past summer over efforts to reunify undocumented children separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border. According to the report, officials at the department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services “did not plan for the potential increase …

Last surviving prosecutor at Nuremberg trials says Trump's family separation policy is ‘crime against humanity’
6 years, 5 months ago

Last surviving prosecutor at Nuremberg trials says Trump's family separation policy is ‘crime against humanity’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The last surviving member …

Lack of prep plagued Trump's child separation border policy: watchdog
6 years, 5 months ago

Lack of prep plagued Trump's child separation border policy: watchdog

Raw Story  

The Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year was plagued by a lack of preparation, resource shortfalls and communication failures, according to a government audit released on Tuesday. The review, conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, is the first official audit of President Donald Trump’s policy of separating migrant families at …

Federal investigators find many failures in Trump’s family separation policy
6 years, 5 months ago

Federal investigators find many failures in Trump’s family separation policy

LA Times  

The Trump administration botched the implementation of its “zero tolerance” border policy earlier this year and failed to adequately prepare for the consequences of separating immigrant children from their parents, according to a report released Tuesday by federal investigators. It argued the administration “took exhaustive efforts” to overcome its challenges and “stand up a process to safely reunify families expeditiously.” …

Watchdog report says admin was ‘not fully prepared’ for family separations at border
6 years, 5 months ago

Watchdog report says admin was ‘not fully prepared’ for family separations at border

CNN  

Washington CNN — The Department of Homeland Security was “not fully prepared” for the rollout of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy at the US-Mexico border that resulted in the large numbers of family separations this summer, according to an internal report from the department’s watchdog. The new report from the DHS inspector general also says that Customs and Border …

Trump administration targeted immigrant parents traveling with children, government data shows
6 years, 7 months ago

Trump administration targeted immigrant parents traveling with children, government data shows

Daily Mail  

The Trump administration chose to prosecute immigrant parents – resulting in family separations – instead of people entering the country without kids, according to new data. However, government data indicates that government officials made a choice to prosecute parents instead of unaccompanied adults, according to an analysis by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Despite that - and …

The Family Separation Hearing Was One of the Most Appalling Displays of Passing the Buck You’ll Ever See
6 years, 7 months ago

The Family Separation Hearing Was One of the Most Appalling Displays of Passing the Buck You’ll Ever See

Slate  

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on family separations, during which the lack of any accountability for the disastrous policy became abundantly clear. More than 2,500 children were separated from their parents as part of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” enforcement program for undocumented border crossings and related practices. During Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s questioning, he asked every …

'Chaos and confusion’ at US detention centres as Trump administration rushes to reunite migrant families
6 years, 8 months ago

'Chaos and confusion’ at US detention centres as Trump administration rushes to reunite migrant families

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy US lawyers and activists have described “chaos and confusion” at …

Editorial: Trump keeps implementing incompetent zero-tolerance immigration policies. He also keeps losing in court
6 years, 8 months ago

Editorial: Trump keeps implementing incompetent zero-tolerance immigration policies. He also keeps losing in court

LA Times  

A Guatemalan father and son, who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, are apprehended by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in San Diego on June 28. In yet another sign of how recklessly President Trump has plowed forward on immigration, a federal judge ruled Monday that, no, the president cannot scrap a 20-year-old legal settlement designed to prevent children from being …

3 graphs that explain Trump’s dilemma on the border
6 years, 8 months ago

3 graphs that explain Trump’s dilemma on the border

CNN  

Washington CNN — President Donald Trump’s now-reversed “zero-tolerance” policy to prosecute parents who illegally cross the border with their children did not come out of thin air. A federal judge this week strongly rebuffed the administration’s attempt to roll back the court settlement, calling it “cynical” and “without merit.” Judge Dolly Gee called the government’s argument that an increase in …

Finally, US commits to reuniting migrant families from next week as immigration politics boils over; Trump fumes saying 'fix our insane laws now!'
6 years, 8 months ago

Finally, US commits to reuniting migrant families from next week as immigration politics boils over; Trump fumes saying 'fix our insane laws now!'

Firstpost  

Stung by a public outcry, the Trump administration said Thursday it will meet court-ordered deadlines for reuniting families separated at the border, even as the politics of immigration remained at a boil. Azar also used a new and much higher number for migrant kids separated from their parents, “under 3,000” as compared with the figure of 2,047 he provided at …

Zero tolerance sowed confusion from start
6 years, 8 months ago

Zero tolerance sowed confusion from start

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The government’s top health official could barely conceal his discomfort. “So we don’t — we are not the experts on immigration.” Separating families while sidelining the agency responsible for caring for the children was only one example of a communication breakdown in the federal government that left immigrant children in limbo, parents in the dark about their whereabouts …

US judge bars immigration agents from separating families at border
6 years, 9 months ago

US judge bars immigration agents from separating families at border

Daily Mail  

Judge Dana Sabraw ruled U.S. immigration agents could no longer separate parents and children caught crossing the border from Mexico illegally and must reunite those already separated A federal judge has ruled that U.S. immigration agents could no longer separate immigrant parents and children caught crossing the border from Mexico illegally, and must reunite those families that had been split …

Authorities abandon ‘zero-tolerance’ for immigrant families
6 years, 9 months ago

Authorities abandon ‘zero-tolerance’ for immigrant families

Associated Press  

McALLEN, Texas — The Trump administration has scaled back a key element of its zero-tolerance immigration policy amid a global uproar over the separation of more than 2,300 migrant families, halting the practice of turning over parents to prosecutors for charges of illegally entering the country. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Monday that President Donald Trump’s order …

US temporarily scales back ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy
6 years, 9 months ago

US temporarily scales back ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy

Al Jazeera  

White House says administration has only temporarily halted part of its policy because it’s ‘going to run out of space’. A US official has said the administration will scale back part of its “zero-tolerance” immigration policy as US President Donald Trump doubled down on his suggestion that undocumented individuals be deported without due process. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin …

Donald Trump's poorly-handled reversal on immigration policy still leaves future of 2,000-plus children uncertain
6 years, 9 months ago

Donald Trump's poorly-handled reversal on immigration policy still leaves future of 2,000-plus children uncertain

Firstpost  

An embattled Donald Trump — beset on all sides by critics of his immigration policy — reversed the decision to separate immigrant children from their parents on the US-Mexico border, on Wednesday An embattled Donald Trump — beset on all sides by critics of his immigration policy — reversed the decision to separate immigrant children from their parents on the …

Trump pictured discussing migrant family separations with room full of white men
6 years, 9 months ago

Trump pictured discussing migrant family separations with room full of white men

The Independent  

Sign up for the Independent Women email for the latest news, opinion and features Get the Independent Women email for free Get the Independent Women email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “We are keeping families together, but we have to keep our borders strong,” Mr Trump said, …

Trump’s immigration order sparks confusion, deep concern
6 years, 9 months ago

Trump’s immigration order sparks confusion, deep concern

Associated Press  

EDINBURG, Texas — President Donald Trump’s reversal of a policy separating migrant families at the Mexico border sparked confusion over how the new guidelines will play out and deep concern that the changes don’t go far enough, allowing children to still be held in detention even if they remain with their families. “We are pleased that the president is calling …

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