Reunions at the Border: The Countdown for the Littlest Victims
By 7/12/2018 – A quick rundown of the drama unfolding at the US‑Mexico border.
What the Administration Says
- Trump officials claim that all children under five who were separated will be reunited with their parents by Thursday morning, assuming they meet eligibility criteria.
- Eligibility cuts fell short for kids whose parents were deported, had criminal records, or were otherwise deemed unfit.
ACLU’s Counter‑Point
- Lee Gelernt, remember‑to‑write‑about‑lawyer for the ACLU, calls the statement “vague” and points out that a San Diego judge set a Tuesday deadline for under‑five reunions.
- According to Gelernt, that deadline was missed; the government still hasn’t confirmed how many children have re‑connected with parents.
Judge Dana Sabraw’s Mandates
- On Tuesday, Judge Dana Sabraw ordered full reunification of all under‑five kids by that day and all separated children by July 26.
- Thursday will see the agency report progress on the younger group and whether the older group can hit the July 26 target.
The Numbers in the Balancing Act
- Estimated 2,300 children were separated under the “zero tolerance” policy, a figure the administration rolled back after public outcry.
- Early Tuesday figures state four under‑five children
were reunited, with at least 34 more expected that same day. - Yet 12 adults were deported without their kids—an outcome the ACLU says “the government isn’t even close to fixing.”
Stories Amid the Statistics
Javier (30, Honduras) shared his tear‑filled joy after being reunited with his 4‑year‑old son after 55 days of detention: “Those were the worst days of my life. I never imagined this would happen.”
When Catholic Charities held a briefing in New York, several parents whispered thanks to anyone who’d seen them at the border yesterday.
Challenges and Potential Penalties
- Judge Sabraw notes that the remaining ~2,000 older children pose a significant and complicated task—especially when cross‑agency tracking misses the mark.
- Should the under‑five reunions fail to materialize by Thursday, Sabraw will request the ACLU to propose penalties he could levy against the administration.
Tech & Tracking Woes
- Government officials blame delays on background checks and locating parents who’ve been released.
- Activists argue poor technology hampers the effort, pointing out that multiple agencies are juggling the kids’ “care files.”
Trump’s Public Response
- On Twitter, Donald Trump blamed Democrats (and a few others) for what he calls a broken immigration system, slamming “judges, illegals, traffickers” for using children as pawns.
That’s the scoop—a tangled web of dates, deadlines and heartfelt reunions, all under one shadow of policy changes and public scrutiny.
