According to a report from NBC Los Angeles, Los Angeles County is rolling out additional services for migrant families who were previously separated by the Trump Administration. The announcement follows the extremely distressing news that hundreds of young children still have not been reunited with their families more than two years after former Attorney General Jeff Sessions initially issued the so-called ‘zero tolerance policy’. Here, our California immigration attorney explains the problem and how Los Angeles County is trying to help.
Family Separation Persists: An Estimate 545 Children are Still Separated from Parents
On October 21st, 2020, National Public Radio (NPR) reported that the federal government has been unable to locate parents for at least 545 children who were separated from their families while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by the Trump Administration. The tragic news came out in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU has kept the pressure on the federal government—aiming to ensure that all migrant children are reunited with their loved ones.
From the beginning, we knew that President Trump’s family separation policy caused serious harm to vulnerable people. As time passes, more information continues to come to light about just how much pain the administration caused. This is not the first time the distressing news has come out in court. Indeed, in January of 2019, we learned that the Trump Administration’s family separation policy was more extensive and more cruel than initially reported.
Los Angeles County is Assembling a Task Force to Reunite Families
While the federal government struggles to fix the problems that the administration caused, our local leaders are trying to step up and fill the gap. Wasting relatively little time after the news was released, the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors voted to create a task force focused on identifying and helping any separated migrant children who are currently living within our jurisdiction. If possible, the ultimate goal is to work to reunite local families affected by the separation policy.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis emphasized our obligation noting that as the largest county in the United States, “staying silent is not an option” and “families belong together.” Unfortunately, Los Angeles—and other local governments—face a significant challenge. The Trump Administration quickly deported many parents without recording much information about their case. Many of the children who were separated from their families were infants or toddlers. They are not able to identify themselves. In some cases, the U.S. government has even struggled to determine a child’s country or region of origin.
We Advocate for Immigrant Rights in Southern California
At Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our Los Angeles immigration attorney is committed to protecting the rights and interests of clients. We strive to provide the highest level of representation to immigrants and their families. Call us now to find out more about how we can help. Our law firm offers fully confidential initial immigration law consultations.
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