Immigrants make up approximately 13% of the total U.S. population, and according to The Sacramento Bee, Trump’s latest immigration order, which is a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on migrants crossing the southwest border, has ‘blindsided’ federal health and immigration officials.
Trump’s decision set off a range of issues, from agencies struggling to tie up loose ends, family separations, and more, according to a critical report issued in October. The Government Accountability Office analyzed the consequences that come with implementing a huge policy change before having the chance to consult the agencies it affects most.
“Officials told us that the agencies did not take specific planning steps because they did not have advance notice,” the GAO found. “Officials we interviewed stated that they became aware of the April 2018 (‘zero-tolerance’) memo when it was announced publicly.”
The report primarily focused on agencies that include Homeland Security, like Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, part of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). ORR had initially had responsibility for the unaccompanied minors who were detained at the border.
This time, the HHS agency had an altered set of challenges, since the children had legally been considered as ‘unaccompanied minors’ after the government separated them from their parents. The Sacramento Bee notes that a large portion of the children were ‘considerably younger’ than the teenagers and pre-teenaged kids the ORR typically attends to.
“Shelters converted space previously used for classrooms for older children to be space for children under age five, with one shelter adding cribs, smaller tables and chairs, and toys appropriate for younger children,” the report noted.
Currently, there are still around 250 children in government custody, according to a report from the American Civil Liberties Union.
With this recent immigration news in mind, there’s no denying the tense climate many immigrants face. If you’re in need of reliable immigration attorneys, contact us today to see how we can help. We understand that immigration laws are consistently changing, and we do our best to help clients like you reach their immigration goals every single day. For more information about working with the best group of immigration attorneys in Pasadena, contact Reeves Miller today.
