Federal Court Orders Reunification of Thousands of Parents and Children Torn Apart by Trump Family Separation Policy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2018

CONTACT: Inga Sarda-Sorensen, 347-514-3984, isarda-sorensen@aclu.org

SAN DIEGO — A federal judge late tonight ordered the reunification of thousands of parents and children forcibly separated by the Trump administration. The American Civil Liberties Union sought the nationwide preliminary injunction to halt the practice and immediately reunite all the separated families. Thousands of families have been torn apart by this inhumane practice, which is designed to scare other families from seeking refuge in the United States. Trump’s policy has sparked global outrage.

The court said all children must be reunited within 30 days; children under five within 14 days; and all parents must be able to speak with their children within 10 days. The court also prohibited any deportation of parents without their children, absent a knowing waiver. In the future, no child can be separated unless it is genuinely in the child’s best interest, such as a showing of a parent as abusive.

Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, argued the case and had this reaction:

“This ruling is an enormous victory for parents and children who thought they may never see each other again. Tears will be flowing in detention centers across the country when the families learn they will be reunited.”

 

The ruling is at: https://www.aclu.org/ms-l-v-ice-order-granting-plaintiffs-motion-classwide-preliminary-injunction

https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/ms-l-v-ice-order-granting-part-plaintiffs-motion-class-certification

This statement is at: https://www.aclu.org/news/federal-court-orders-reunification-thousands-parents-and-children-torn-apart-trump-family

Case details are here: https://www.aclu.org/cases/ms-l-v-ice