In this July 10,2018, file photo, Ever Reyes Mejia, of Honduras, carries his son to a vehicle after being reunited and released by United…
In this July 10,2018, file photo, Ever Reyes Mejia, of Honduras, carries his son to a vehicle after being reunited and released by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Associated Press/Paul Sancya
A federal judge said in a court hearing on Friday that because the Trump administration « improperly separated » thousands of immigrant families at the border, it should also cover the costs to reunite them.
The Trump administration said it has reunited 58 of the 103 youngest immigrant children separated from their parents, though lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union alleged that some of the families had been asked to pay hundreds of dollars to reunite with their children.
One parent was initially told to wire $1,900 to Western Union to pay for the reunification, according to the ACLU. Another parent was also allegedly told to purchase a plane ticket, and then told to cancel it because someone else was purchasing a ticket for the child instead.
Other reports have emerged that families have been told to cover the costs of the DNA tests the government has been using to match parents with their children.
But US District Judge Dana Sabraw on Friday ordered that the government shoulder those expenses instead.
« It doesn’t make any sense for any of the parents who have been separated to pay for anything, » he said. « So the reunification should be paid for, whether it’s DNA or travel or other matters. »
But the government attorney, Sarah Fabian, pushed back, calling it « a huge ask » on behalf of the Health and Human Services Department.
« The resources are not in [the Office of Refugee Resettlement] and HHS to pay for those flights, » she said.
But Sabraw held firm, and said if there are any problems he was unaware of relating to the reunification costs, the government could bring those up in a separate hearing scheduled for Monday.
« Let’s proceed with the understanding that the government will make it happen. » he said.
The Trump administration missed its deadline to reunite the 103 youngest separated children, all of whom were under the age of five. Its next move is to reunite the remaining, older children, of which there are more than 2,000.
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