On Monday, a federal judge temporarily prevented the US government from deporting immigrant parents just reunited with their kids, until a court has considered the impact on the right of the children to claim asylum.
The government is attempting to meet the deadlines of a court order forcing them to reunite almost 2,550 immigrant minors with their parents, following separation at the border between the US and Mexico by US immigration authorities. It was part of the zero-tolerance policy adopted amid a crackdown on illegal administration by the Trump administration, and resulted in both domestic and international criticism, forcing the President to order an end to the practice on 20 June.
In court papers, the American Civil Liberties Union said on Monday that immigrant parents who have been reunited with their children should be given a week before having to decide whether they want to allow their children to remain in the US to pursue separate asylum claims. The rights group claims that one week is an appropriate and reasonable solution to ensure that the parents do not make uninformed choices about the fate of their children.
Judge Dana Sabraw, of the Southern District of California’s US District Court in San Diego, asked for a response from the government, setting a date for the next hearing on 24 July, but barring rapid deportations in the meantime.