More families have been separated at U.S.-Mexico border than previously thought

Summary

CBS News reveals that thousands more families were separated at the border than previously disclosed, with over 1,600 additional separations occurring before the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy was fully implemented. These separations, which were hidden from the public, court, and Congress, raise questions about the handling of migrant families. The ACLU and immigrant advocacy groups challenge the administration’s justification for these separations, citing the potential for false claims about parental criminality or family ties. The new numbers highlight ongoing concerns about the impact on families, many of whom have yet to be reunited.

Takeaways

• 😀 Thousands more families were separated at the border than previously known, with over 1,500 additional cases discovered.
• 😀 These separations occurred before the implementation of the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy in 2018.
• 😀 The ACLU lawsuit revealed that the government initially claimed only 2,800 families were separated, but the true number is much higher.
• 😀 An internal watchdog group uncovered the additional separations, revealing around 1,600 more families involved.
• 😀 The U.S. government only recently provided a list of these 1,600 families, but it's still unclear if this is the full extent of the separations.
• 😀 The total number of separations is now known to be at least 4,300 children separated from their parents before the zero-tolerance policy ended.
• 😀 The Trump administration admitted in court that 1,500 separations were never previously disclosed to the public or Congress.
• 😀 The ACLU is working to reunite these families, but many remain uncertain if they have been able to reconnect through other means.
• 😀 Despite the end of the zero-tolerance policy, the administration continues to justify separations, claiming they are based on criminal histories or threats posed by parents.
• 😀 Immigration advocacy groups argue that many separations are unwarranted, with some allegations made against parents being dubious or unfounded.

Q & A

How many additional families were separated by the Trump administration than previously reported?

The Trump administration initially reported around 2,800 separations, but new information reveals that approximately 1,600 more families were separated, bringing the total to at least 4,300 families.

Why were these additional separations unknown to the public until now?

The additional separations were not disclosed to the public because they stem from a pilot program testing the larger zero-tolerance policy in late 2017, which was not fully accounted for until now.

What did the ACLU attorney reveal about the additional separations?

The ACLU attorney revealed that these separations were only discovered through the work of an internal watchdog group, and the government had not disclosed them to the courts, Congress, or the public.

How does the ACLU view the ongoing family separations under the Biden administration?

The ACLU believes that the separations are still occurring systematically, despite the administration's claim that they are rare and based on specific threats or risks.

What is the Trump administration's justification for continuing separations?

The administration justifies separations by citing criminal histories, suspected gang ties, or an inability to verify family ties between parents and children.

How many separations had been publicly known before the new information came to light?

Before the new information, it was known that under the zero-tolerance policy, approximately 3,000 separations occurred, with about 1,000 more separations under different circumstances after the policy's halt.

What is the status of family reunification efforts?

The government has been working for months to reunite families, but many may still be separated. Some families may have been able to reunite on their own, but it is unclear how many have not.

How does the ACLU feel about the government's actions in separating families?

The ACLU argues that the separations were often unjustified and claims that many of the justifications provided by U.S. officials, such as allegations of gang ties or criminal histories, were unfounded.

What is the current total of family separations attributed to the zero-tolerance policy?

The total number of family separations attributed to the zero-tolerance policy, including the newly revealed 1,600, is at least 4,300.

Why is it difficult to track the exact number of separated families?

It is difficult to track the exact number because some separations occurred before the zero-tolerance policy was fully implemented, and there are gaps in the data provided by the government.