- Oct 17, 2011
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The Administration for Children and Families, which oversees ORR, said via email that earlier this year, it put in place “enhanced vetting policies” for adults who will care for the children after their release.
According to eight officials at ORR, who asked not to be named because they fear losing their jobs, the government largely stopped releasing children to sponsors in early November, even those who had cleared the vetting process.
Eight immigration attorneys across the country — in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Charlotte and Washington, D.C. — said that since early November, they have not been able to get kids with cleared sponsors out of ORR custody in most cases, even after sending letters to ORR demanding they be released and threatening litigation. The attorneys said the government has not explained why it won't let the kids go.
Over the past month and a half, ORR has released just four kids total to sponsors, according to the data.
[ORR says it's doing its job.]
But three ORR officials with knowledge of the office’s release process told the California Newsroom that in early November, agency leadership ordered a hold on releasing children to sponsors until further notice, even if the sponsors have been cleared to receive them.
The sources said the order was not put in writing, but issued verbally to field officers across the country who are charged with signing off on releases.
"Many cases are absolutely ready to go, but because releases aren’t being allowed, they are in limbo,” said a field officer who received the order.
laist.com
According to eight officials at ORR, who asked not to be named because they fear losing their jobs, the government largely stopped releasing children to sponsors in early November, even those who had cleared the vetting process.
Eight immigration attorneys across the country — in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, Charlotte and Washington, D.C. — said that since early November, they have not been able to get kids with cleared sponsors out of ORR custody in most cases, even after sending letters to ORR demanding they be released and threatening litigation. The attorneys said the government has not explained why it won't let the kids go.
Over the past month and a half, ORR has released just four kids total to sponsors, according to the data.
[ORR says it's doing its job.]
But three ORR officials with knowledge of the office’s release process told the California Newsroom that in early November, agency leadership ordered a hold on releasing children to sponsors until further notice, even if the sponsors have been cleared to receive them.
The sources said the order was not put in writing, but issued verbally to field officers across the country who are charged with signing off on releases.
"Many cases are absolutely ready to go, but because releases aren’t being allowed, they are in limbo,” said a field officer who received the order.
Trump admin has all but stopped reuniting detained migrant children with their families
Government sources say that for the last six weeks, they’ve been ordered not to release undocumented children in federal custody to their parents and relatives.
laist.com
