Trump agreed that the goal is to keep families together while keeping strict control over immigration.
Laws Pertaining to Child Immigrants
In the 1980’s case of a teenage girl named Flores, the courts ruled that the government must release children into the custody of their parents or other guardians. In 2015, a case in Los Angeles expanded the rule. Now, the government must release children to their parents even if their parents are apprehended as illegal immigrants.
Again, in 2016, another court ruled that children cannot remain in detention. The government must release them to their parents. The problem is that none of these laws state the parents cannot be held for processing. The confusion is what to do with children when their parents are in custody. How do we take a hard line against parent offenders while treating the children compassionately?
Nielsen hopes to find that middle ground with her proposed executive action.
New Congressional Action
Trump is calling on lawmakers to propose new laws for dealing with illegal immigrant families. He says, though, that this will be a problem for Congress. He says Democrats want to have open borders while Republicans want tighter security. Hopefully, both parties can come to an agreement about what to do with the children and their parents while they are in custody.
