The questionable situation of immigrant children in the US

Immigrants hoping to seek international protection in the US through an asylum application are currently going through a difficult time.

Asylum requests have been suspended for more than three months, and only recently it was officially announced that hearings with a local judge are about to resume.

Therefore, thousands of immigrants currently reside in Mexico, under the Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP). Basically, this policy states that asylum seekers must remain in Mexico while awaiting the response to their immigration applications or until they have a hearing with a judge. In fact, this policy is commonly known as “Remain in Mexico”.

Currently, one of the biggest controversies, regarding political asylum, are unaccompanied minors who arrive at the borders or cross them without legal documentation.

The US law takes a different approach when it comes to unaccompanied minors. They cannot be deported immediately or remain in Mexico by themselves, but must remain in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), while a judge handles their immigration cases.

Unaccompanied minors and the global pandemic

The global Coronavirus pandemic has modified some of the immigration and deportation processes of the US.

In fact, not all requirements are being fully followed during the health crisis, and border forces are authorized to take preventive measures and to use express deportations to avoid another massive outbreak of COVID-19 in the North American territory.

Recently, the Associated Press (AP) conducted an investigation regarding immigrant children during the health crisis.

The results are alarming and according to the official report, minors are being taken to hotels in Arizona and Texas. They remain in these hotels for several days before being transferred or deported in the midst of a global pandemic.

Do you have a pending immigration process? Contact Motion Law Immigration for specialized guidance.

Minors remain in hotels before being deported

One of the main reasons why the ORR must take care of unaccompanied minors who come to the US is precisely to protect their integrity.

Minors are usually more likely to be victims of:

• Human trafficking.
• Gangs.
• Violence and abuse.

Thus, the fact that children are being detained in hotels only increases the risk. They are surrounded by dozens of people who are not necessarily Border Force officials or child care specialists.

In addition to that, children who stay in hotels are constantly deported under the premise of the Trump government to protect public health by banning asylum requests.

A well-known attorney commented on children detained in hotels: “There really are not enough words to describe the shameful example of sacrificing children to promote ruthless immigration policies”.

ICE’s response

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) also has an obligation to supervise minors during their stay in the country.

This entity did not want to give any official response regarding these accusations.

Reliable help for your immigration case

These are adverse times for many immigrant communities. However, regular services are gradually returning to normal and opportunities are opening up again for these communities.

It is important to understand that the immigration processes of the US require constant attention. The journey can be more bearable if you have the help of specialist immigration attorneys.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.