A U.S. federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration cannot expel unaccompanied migrant children as part of the government’s pandemic orders. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled that the COVID pandemic was being used as an illegal tactic to achieve the government’s goal to limit immigration.
9,000 unaccompanied migrant children who crossed into the U.S. southern border without their parents have already been expelled from the U.S. during the pandemic. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) filed a lawsuit against DHS (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) challenging the policy that began in March when the government used Title 42 of the Public Health Safety Act to temporarily block noncitizens from entering the US “when doing so is required in the interest of public health.” The government cited the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) efforts to protect public health and limit the spread of Covid-19 in issuing the March order.
Immigration advocates were shocked at the large number of migrant children who have been expelled since March. The number of expelled children was disclosed last week by the administration in response to the ACLU lawsuit.
President-elect Joe Biden pledge to end most of Trump’s border policies after he takes office. Biden has not specifically addressed the Title 42 program. During the pandemic, U.S. border patrol agents have
• expelled migrant children from Central American countries to Mexico
• held migrant children in hotel rooms before expelling them
• separated migrant children from their parents
• lost track of the parents to over 500 migrant children being held in U.S. custody
• detained children without their parents at immigration detention centers
Non-citizens who face the threat of deportation may be able to show that the U.S. government was wrong to place them into removal proceedings. In immigration court, the presiding judge may ask the non-citizen to address the Notice to Appear by admitting or denying factual accusations and conceding or contesting any charges of removability.
If you or a loved one faces the threat of deportation, it is important to remember that you are not alone. A skilled Illinois deportation defense lawyer can help you seek to resolve the threat of deportation. To get started on your defense, call 855-554-6369 to schedule a consultation with one of the experienced immigration attorneys today.
