ICE kept immigrant minors in hotels

The global coronavirus pandemic definitely helped the Trump administration modify multiple immigration processes, including deportation.

Normally, undocumented immigrants who are detained by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency are taken to immigration detention centers around the US, where they must wait until their deportation proceedings are completed or until they appeal their immigration cases, if they meet mandatory requirements.

In the case of immigrant minors, the US law states that they cannot be detained more than 72 hours by border forces and must be transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), until a local judge reviews their cases.

However, these protocols have not been fully followed during the health crisis caused by the Coronavirus, since, in light of the threat to public health, the Trump administration gave the green light to mass expedited deportations.

In fact, at the end of July 2020, ICE was keeping unaccompanied immigrant minors in hotels before deporting them, without giving them the opportunity to present their cases in front of a judge and within days of arriving in the US, increasing the risk of them returning to hostile environments, where they are victims of abuse and violence.

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Court banned ICE from keeping minors in hotels

Due to the seriousness of the matter, ICE faced multiple legal complaints for keeping unaccompanied immigrant minors in hotels.

In early October, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals protected a lower court verdict and barred ICE from detaining immigrant minors in hotels before deporting them amid an unprecedented sanitary emergency.

The Trump administration pressures CDC to keep minors in hotels

According to a recent report by The Washington Post, several federal health officials state that HHS is asking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to back the idea of keeping immigrant minors in hotels during the health crisis.

In the opinion of HHS, preventing unaccompanied minors from going to ORR facilities protects them from the Coronavirus and prevents another massive outbreak in the North American territory.

However, local law states that minors must have the opportunity to receive international protection through political asylum or refuge. They normally remain in the custody of a sponsor or are deported if a judge declares they do not meet the requirements to stay in the US, but they always have the opportunity to present their cases.

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It is imperative to seek reliable help when submitting an immigration application. In this way, you protect your future and avoid risky situations that endanger your integrity.

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