San Diego, C.A.– The U.S. government missed the July 10th deadline for reuniting detained immigrant children under the age of five, set by southern California U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw.
On Tuesday, the government informed Sabraw that it was only able to reunite 38 of the 102 younger children, ages 5 and under, according to an online Bloomberg article.
Just to paint a clearer picture, more than half of the number of younger children still remain apart from their parents, and that is not counting the 3,000 older kids still detained. The U.S. government has two weeks and 24 hours left to make it happen and meet the July 26 deadline.
Don’t get your hopes up.
“Any children not being reunified by the July 10 deadline are not being reunified because of legitimate logistical impediments that render timely compliance impossible or excusable, and so defendants are complying with the court’s order,” the Justice Department told Sabraw during a hearing in San Diego on Tuesday.
No, “the defendant” is definitely not complying with the court’s order.
You’d think that the Trump administration, which leads the most powerful government in the world, would be able to execute a federal judge order on time, efficiently and effectively.
They didn’t seem to have a problem carrying out their own zero-tolerance policy on time, efficiently and effectively. Their excuse of “legitimate logistical impediments” also raises the question of why these families weren’t put in the system with their proper affiliations in the first place.
However, Judge Sabraw did accept the government’s excuse of “legitimate logistical impediments,” but held his ground on the set July 26 deadline.
According to Bloomberg, the southern California federal judge ordered that the U.S. government provide him with an update this Thursday on the reunification of the remaining 64 younger children, and provide an explanation for any child not reunited with their family.
According to the Los Angeles Times, when Trump was asked by reporters about his administration’s failure to meet the deadline he responded, “Well I have a solution. Tell people not to come to our country illegally. That’s the solution. Don’t come to our country illegally. Come like other people do. Come legally.”
First of all, since when is presenting yourself to CBP at the border, seeking asylum, illegal?
Second of all, this doesn’t sound like a president who is in a rush to join the same families he tore apart in an inhumane manner.
The real “solution” these children and parents need is a reform on our country’s immigration policies. One that will keep them together and allow them so attain the asylum they seek in search for a better life for themselves and their loved ones.