U.S. judge temporarily halts deportation of reunified families

A federal judge on Monday ordered a temporary halt to any deportations of immigrant families who were reunited after being separated by the Trump administration at the border.

U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw imposed a delay of at least a week after a request from the American Civil Liberties Union, which cited “persistent and increasing rumours ... that mass deportations may be carried out imminently and immediately upon reunification.”

Justice Department attorney Scott Stewart opposed the delay but did not address the rumours in court. He said he would respond later in writing. The judge gave the department until next Monday.

Late last month, Sabraw ordered the government to reunite thousands of children and parents who were forcibly separated in recent months under the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy toward those who illegally cross into the U.S. He set a deadline of July 10 for roughly 100 children under age 5 and gave the government until July 26 to reunite more than 2,500 older youngsters.

The Trump administration reunited about half the under-5 children by last week, saying that in many of the remaining cases, A Brazilian mother, who asked to be identified only as W.R. holds her 9-yearold son A.R. during a news conference at the Brazilian Worker Center in Boston, Monday.

the adults had criminal records or were determined not to be the youngsters’ parents at all.

In asking for a delay in deportations, the ACLU said parents need a week after being reunified with their children to decide whether to pursue asylum.

The decision “cannot be made until parents not only have had

time to fully discuss the ramifications with their children, but also to hear from the child’s advocate or counsel, who can explain to the parent the likelihood of the child ultimately prevailing in his or her own asylum case if left behind in the U.S. (as well as where the child is likely to end up living),” the ACLU said.