Trump's Plans to Deter Migrants Could Mean New 'Voluntary' Family Separations
Source: New York Times
Trump’s Plans to Deter Migrants Could Mean New ‘Voluntary’ Family Separations
By Miriam Jordan, Caitlin Dickerson and Michael D. Shear
Oct. 22, 2018
TUCSON, Ariz. — The Trump administration, facing a surge in migrant families entering the United States, is moving swiftly to examine an array of new policies it hopes will deter Central Americans from journeying north.
Each of the policies, which range from a new form of the widely criticized practice of family separation to stricter requirements on asylum, would face significant legal and logistical challenges. But the White House is applying strong pressure on federal immigration authorities to come up with a solution to secure the southwest border.
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The group’s charge from the White House is simple and explicit: Replace what the administration describes as “catch and release,” the practice of releasing immigrants from detention while they wait for court hearings.
The most talked-about alternative would be a variation of the family separation policy. Parents would be forced to choose between voluntarily relinquishing their children to foster care or remaining imprisoned together as a family. The latter option would require parents to waive their child’s right to be released from detention within 20 days.
The goal of this option, known as “binary choice,” would be to “maximize deterrence and consequences for families,” according to a person familiar with the agenda for one of the officials’ meetings.
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Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/us/migrant-families-crossing-border-trump.html
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