Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 25 June 2018

Reunification prospects unclear for freed immigrant parents

By COLLEEN LONG, WILL identification mechanism
WEISSERT and JOHN L. to ensure ongoing tracking
MONE of linked family members
Associated Press throughout the detention
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A and removal process; des-
Texas charitable organiza- ignated detention loca-
tion says 32 immigrant par- tions for separated parents
ents separated from their and will enhance current
children after crossing the processes to ensure com-
U.S.-Mexico border were munication with children
freed into its care Sunday, in HHS custody; worked
but they don’t know where closely with foreign consul-
their kids are or when they ates to ensure that travel
might see them again de- documents are issued for
spite government assur- both the parent and child
ances that family reunifica- at time of removal; and co-
tion would be well orga- ordinated with HHS for the
nized. reuniting of the child prior
The release is believed to to the parents’ departure
be the first, large one of its from the U.S.
kind since President Donald A parent or guardian trying
Trump signed an executive to determine if a child is in
order Wednesday that pre- Immigrant families line up to enter the central bus station after they were processed and released the custody of HHS should
served a “zero-tolerance” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sunday, June 24, 2018, in McAllen, Texas. contact the Office of Refu-
policy for entering the Associated Press gee Resettlement National
country illegally but ended Mexico, Guatemala and A Saturday night fact U.S. Customs and Border Call Center at 1-800-203-
the practice of separat- Honduras who arrived to sheet by the Department Patrol, with children taken 7001, or via email at infor-
ing immigrant parents and his group after federal au- of Homeland Security and into custody by the Depart- mation@ORRNCC.com. In-
children. U.S. Immigration thorities withdrew criminal other agencies said au- ment of Health and Human formation will be collected
and Customs Enforcement charges for illegal entry. thorities know the location Services and adults de- and sent to an HHS-funded
offered no immediate He didn’t release names or of all children in custody tained through ICE, which facility where a minor is lo-
comment. personal details to protect after separating them from is under the Department cated.
Ruben Garcia, director the parents’ privacy, and their families at the border of Homeland Security. Chil- But it’s unclear whether
of Annunciation House Homeland Security officials and are working to reunite dren have been sent to far- detained parents have
in El Paso, said the group said they needed more them. It called the reunifi- flung shelters around the access to computers to
of both mothers and fa- specifics in order to check cation process “well coor- country, raising alarm that send an email, or how their
thers includes some from out their cases. dinated.” parents might never know phone systems work to call
It also said parents must where their children can be out. Attorneys at the bor-
request that their child be found. der have said they have
deported with them. In the At least 2,053 minors who been frantically trying to lo-
past, the fact sheet says, were separated at the bor- cate information about the
many parents elected to der were being cared for children on behalf of their
be deported without their in HHS-funded facilities, the clients.
children. That may be a re- fact sheet said. Garcia, the Annunciation
flection of violence or per- The chairman of the Sen- House director, said his ex-
secution they face in their ate Homeland Security perience has been that
home countries. Committee hedged Sun- telephone contact doesn’t
It doesn’t state how long it day when pressed on provide any information.
might take to reunite fami- whether he was confident “If we bring in 30 cellphones,
lies. the Trump administration they’re going to call that
Texas’ Port Isabel Service knows where all the chil- number, they’re not going
Processing Center has dren are and will be able to reach 30 children,” said
been set up as the staging to reunite them with their Garcia, whose organiza-
ground for the families to parents. tion has been working with
be reunited prior to depor- “That is what they’re claim- federal authorities to as-
tation. ing,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R- sist immigrants for 40 years.
How the government Wis., said on CNN’s “State “Actually (they’re) not go-
would reunite families has of the Union.” ing to be able to give them
been unclear because The fact sheet states that any information on what to
they are first stopped by ICE has implemented an expect.”q