Missed Deadlines in Getting Children Back to Their Families.

The government is currently in violation of a court order to reunite children separated from their families at the border. Only 38 of the 102 under-5s were back with their families by the 10pm Tuesday (7/10) deadline. More reunifications were expected to follow.

The remaining 2,000, possibly 3,000 5-yrs plus children (the administration is not sure of exact numbers) must be reunited by July 26th. However, it is not looking good.

The ACLU, who filed the initial class action suit to end family separation and reunite all separated families, explains where the process of family reunification stands now: "While the government is now attempting to comply with the court orders, it’s failing because of real logistical problems, like missing records or parents whose locations it failed to track. But it is also stalling by insisting on sticking to status quo agency procedures in the face of extraordinarily unique circumstances ."

Meanwhile, trying to speed up the process of family reunification, Texas-based Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) has offered the administration $20 million raised from donations to cover the bail bonds of roughly 2,500 migrant mothers who have been detained.

“While the government is now attempting to comply with the court orders, it’s failing because of real logistical problems, like missing records or parents whose locations it failed to track. But it is also stalling by insisting on sticking to status quo agency procedures in the face of extraordinarily unique circumstances ”
— American Civil Liberties Union

Yet still, every day more stories emerge of the trauma these children and their families are being subjected to as a result of the zero tolerance policy along the SW border – trauma that will likely stay with them for the rest of their lives.

We must keep the pressure on the administration so that they understand that the American people do not support this cruel and inhumane treatment of anyone, particularly those escaping war, violence, hardship.

Here are ways you can help:

Act Now, Immigrant/Refugee Rights, National LegHeidi RipplingerICE, ACLU, Free Our Future