(Washington) More than 200 migrant children separated from their parents under the mandate of former President Donald Trump have been reunited with their families, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security announced on Thursday.
Posted at 4:20 p.m.
“So far, we have reunited more than 200 children with their parents and it is estimated that around 1,000 children remain separated” from their families, indicated Alejandro Mayorkas during a hearing in the House of Representatives.
Of this last group of minors who are still separated, the authorities have made contact with 500 parents and 400 children are being reunited with their loved ones, the secretary said.
Under the Trump era under a so-called “zero tolerance” policy, launched in 2018, at least 4,000 minors have been separated from their families at the Mexican border, according to figures from the Department of Homeland Security, and 5,500 according to court documents.
Following his inauguration in January 2021, Democratic President Joe Biden promised to pursue a more “humane” migration policy, creating a task force to reunite children separated from their parents.
“We allow them to come together here in the United States and we give them a humanitarian permit so that they have some stability for a period of three years, which is renewable on a case-by-case basis”, detailed Mr. Mayorkas.
Joe Biden had declared himself in favor of financial compensation for migrant families separated at the border, but his government in December 2021 abandoned negotiations in this direction with the families’ lawyers, while insisting on the possibility of finding an agreement in the future.
The plaintiffs, who seek compensation for the psychological damage suffered by the separations, have announced that they will continue their legal battle.
Alejandro Mayorkas also detailed on Wednesday a plan to better manage migratory flows, including increasing the number of staff at the border, targeting smugglers, speeding up procedures and helping organizations that receive asylum seekers. .
“It’s going to take time, and we need the help of Congress, state and local elected officials, NGOs,” he said.