Aug 31, 2018
With more than a month having passed since the federal court-ordered deadline for the Trump administration to reunite separated families, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) on Friday denounced as "government-sanctioned child abuse" the fact that there are still nearly 500 children in government custody.
"It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
--Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)Court documents (pdf) filed Thursday show that there are still 497 children in custody, 22 of whom are under five. Three hundred twenty-two of them have parents who've already been deported.
All children were supposed to have been reunited by July 26; those under five were supposed to have been reunited by July 10.
"The deadline for reuniting families was FIVE weeks ago, but hundreds of children are still separated from their parents," Lee tweeted Friday. "This is government sanctioned child abuse. It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
The ACLU, which filed suit to stop the administration's family separation policy, noted the continuing humanitarian disaster as well:
\u201cReminder: This deadline was not arbitrary. It was court ordered.\n\nAnd this administration failed to meet it.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535720400
In another tweet last week, the organization highlighted the plight of one of the families swept affected by the policy. "The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration," the ACLU noted.
\u201cReminder: The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration.\n\nWatch one family's reunion after months of separation. #FamiliesBelongTogether\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535141400
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
With more than a month having passed since the federal court-ordered deadline for the Trump administration to reunite separated families, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) on Friday denounced as "government-sanctioned child abuse" the fact that there are still nearly 500 children in government custody.
"It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
--Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)Court documents (pdf) filed Thursday show that there are still 497 children in custody, 22 of whom are under five. Three hundred twenty-two of them have parents who've already been deported.
All children were supposed to have been reunited by July 26; those under five were supposed to have been reunited by July 10.
"The deadline for reuniting families was FIVE weeks ago, but hundreds of children are still separated from their parents," Lee tweeted Friday. "This is government sanctioned child abuse. It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
The ACLU, which filed suit to stop the administration's family separation policy, noted the continuing humanitarian disaster as well:
\u201cReminder: This deadline was not arbitrary. It was court ordered.\n\nAnd this administration failed to meet it.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535720400
In another tweet last week, the organization highlighted the plight of one of the families swept affected by the policy. "The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration," the ACLU noted.
\u201cReminder: The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration.\n\nWatch one family's reunion after months of separation. #FamiliesBelongTogether\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535141400
With more than a month having passed since the federal court-ordered deadline for the Trump administration to reunite separated families, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) on Friday denounced as "government-sanctioned child abuse" the fact that there are still nearly 500 children in government custody.
"It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
--Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)Court documents (pdf) filed Thursday show that there are still 497 children in custody, 22 of whom are under five. Three hundred twenty-two of them have parents who've already been deported.
All children were supposed to have been reunited by July 26; those under five were supposed to have been reunited by July 10.
"The deadline for reuniting families was FIVE weeks ago, but hundreds of children are still separated from their parents," Lee tweeted Friday. "This is government sanctioned child abuse. It's a violation of human rights. And it's another stain on our nation's soul."
The ACLU, which filed suit to stop the administration's family separation policy, noted the continuing humanitarian disaster as well:
\u201cReminder: This deadline was not arbitrary. It was court ordered.\n\nAnd this administration failed to meet it.\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535720400
In another tweet last week, the organization highlighted the plight of one of the families swept affected by the policy. "The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration," the ACLU noted.
\u201cReminder: The consequences of family separation will far out-last this administration.\n\nWatch one family's reunion after months of separation. #FamiliesBelongTogether\u201d— ACLU (@ACLU) 1535141400
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.