Detention

Detaining Families
This report presents findings from the first empirical analysis of asylum adjudication in family detention. Drawing on government data from over 18,000 immigration court proceedings initiated between fiscal years 2001 and 2016, this report documents how families detained in the United States’ family detention centers proceeded through the court process. Read More

Family Separation, Harsh Enforcement Tactics Do Not Deter Migration
When the Trump administration began prosecuting migrant families and separating thousands of children from their parents, many in the administration predicted this would significantly deter migrants looking to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. That has not been the case. A recent study based on new data from… Read More

Civil and Human Rights Organizations File Joint Complaint Against DHS on Behalf of Pregnant Women Detained by ICE
The issues addressed in the complaint are of immediate concern given the Trump administration’s executive orders directing ICE to dramatically expand immigration enforcement actions and increase the number of individuals subject to immigration detention. Read More

Statement for Senate Committee on the Judiciary Hearing “Oversight of Immigration Enforcement and Family Reunification Efforts.”
The American Immigration Council submitted a written statement to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for a July 31, 2018 hearing on “Oversight of Immigration Enforcement and Family Reunification Efforts.” Read More

The Family Reunification Deadline Passed. What’s Next for Separated Families?
The court-imposed deadline of July 26 for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reunite families separated at the southern border has passed. So far, over 1800 children have been released to their parents. However, the Trump administration has refused to reunite hundreds of others by excluding many families from the reunification process. Read More

Despite Bipartisan Amendments, House Committee Passes Enforcement-Focused Bill
The House Appropriations Committee passed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill that provides the agency with its budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which begins October 1, 2018. The bill includes funding for record high levels of detention beds and billions for President Trump’s controversial border wall. Surprisingly, several… Read More

American Immigration Council’s Statement on the Trump Administration’s Failure to Reunite Separated Families
"The government’s failure to comply with the court order to reunify the thousands of separated children and parents confirms the administration’s utter disregard for the humane and fair treatment of families coming to our country in search of protection." Read More

The Trump Administration Is Funneling Money From Health Programs to Fund Its Family Separation Policy
The cost of the Trump administration’s family separation policy continues to skyrocket. In order to finance its self-made crisis, the administration has dipped into funds that were reserved for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) medical research and rural health services. The financial ramifications of separating, detaining,… Read More

Government Uses Separated Children as Leverage to Coerce Parents Into Signing for Deportation
Among the many questions presented by the separation of immigrant families at the border is whether detained parents are being coerced into signing paperwork ensuring their deportation. Without knowing whether or when they would see their children again, many parents may have unintentionally waived their right… Read More

Federal Audit Outlines Lasting Impacts of Trump’s Executive Orders on Immigration
President Trump wasted no time after assuming office in signing three executive orders which fundamentally changed the nature of immigration enforcement in the United States: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements; Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States; and Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States (commonly known as the “Muslim ban"). Read More
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