Biden Administration Terminates Trump Memo Impacting Reunification of Unaccompanied Migrant Children with their U.S.-based Sponsors

Biden Administration Terminates Trump Memo Impacting Reunification of Unaccompanied Migrant Youngsters with their U.S.-based Sponsors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 12, 2021

Contact: Timothy Younger | tyoung@lirs.org | 443-257-6310

At this time, the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) and the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) introduced the termination of a 2018 Memorandum of Settlement that undermined one of the best pursuits of unaccompanied migrant youngsters, and sparked a chilling impact amongst potential sponsors from coming ahead to sponsor them. DHS and HHS have signed a brand new Memorandum of Settlement that promotes the protected and well timed switch of youngsters. The brand new settlement doesn’t change safeguards designed to make sure unaccompanied youngsters are unified with correctly vetted sponsors who can safely take care of them whereas they await immigration proceedings, in line with the companies.

The next is a press release by Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service – a faith-based nonprofit with 40 years of expertise reuniting and serving unaccompanied migrant youngsters and their U.S. sponsors.:

“By our Protected Launch program, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service operates the vast majority of fingerprint websites throughout the nation to vet potential sponsors of unaccompanied migrant youngsters. For the reason that Trump administration memorandum was launched, we witnessed youngsters staying longer in ORR care, prolonging household separation and in some situations, eradicating the choice of household unification if a baby’s solely sponsor withdrew their utility. The MOA was yet one more instance of how a deterrence method to immigration fails to think about one of the best pursuits of the youngsters, and in the end harms each them and their family members.

In monitoring the affect of the MOA at our fingerprint websites, we witnessed a major chilling impact amongst sponsors keen to return ahead. Within the interval previous the memorandum, solely 6% of potential sponsors both cancelled or didn’t seem for his or her appointment – after its implementation, that determine elevated to 33%. Equally, earlier than the unique memorandum was issued, no potential sponsor had declined to be fingerprinted – after its implementation, 9% of potential sponsors declined to be fingerprinted.

The Biden administration’s termination of this dangerous memorandum is a welcome, common sense step in the direction of an immigration system that facilities on one of the best pursuits of youngsters and the precept of household unity. We’re grateful that the brand new administration is prioritizing humane coverage to make sure sponsors really feel protected coming ahead, and that in the end, youngsters don’t languish in custody.”