Almost 1,000 migrant children, who were separated from their parents at the southern border between 2017 and 2021 by the Trump Administration, have not yet been reunited with their families, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported Thursday. it's a statement.
Of a total of 3,924 minors, 998 still have to be reunified, DHS said.
Of these, 148 are already in the process.
The separation of migrant families was one of the most controversial policies of the Administration of former President Donald Trump, which established a measure of "zero tolerance" regarding immigration at the border of the United States and Mexico.
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In February 2021, the Government led by Joe Biden created the Inter-Agency Task Force for Family Reunification with the promise to "identify children who remain separated from their families, facilitate their reunification, provide the necessary support services and prevent future family separations”.
Two years later they have managed to reunite 600 children with their parents, detailed the authorities.
DHS further reported that:
The Task Force has identified 3,924 children who were separated between January 20, 2017 and January 20, 2021.
2,926 minors have been reunified with their families, before or during the establishment of the Working Group.
Of 998 remaining children, 183 families have been notified through a government-contracted non-profit organization.
The information available on the families was incomplete and that has made the process difficult, DHS explained.
It has been necessary to sift through data in government files and coordinate with other organizations to identify the children and their parents.
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Some 1,999 families have been referred to the International Organization for Migration (OIM) from the registration on the Juntos.gov portal that establishes the requirements and steps for the reunification process.
According to the information available on that page, the relatives, assisted by the OIM, must prepare an application for humanitarian leave that could be approved or rejected within a period of 60 days.
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If accepted, the minor's parents will be able to live in the United States for three years and be eligible "to request a work permit and services that help reduce their level of stress and provide emotional support during the reunion with their family."
DHS assured that in these two years they have also supported some 1,124 families through a joint project of the State Department and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
