Families Separated at Border Under Trump May be Allowed to Stay in U.S.

By Kevin Deutsch
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Families separated at the southern border under the administration of Donald Trump could be reunited and may be permitted to stay in the U.S., the Biden administration announced Monday.

“We are hoping to reunite the families, either here or in their country of origin,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters at a press briefing. “We hope to be in a position to give them the election. And if, in fact they seek to reunite here in the United States, we will explore lawful pathways for them to remain in the United States, and to address the family needs,”

“We are acting as restoratively as possible.”

The Trump administration’s family separation policy led to roughly 2,800 families being separated at the southern border, fueling criticism from human rights groups across the globe.

Some were later reunited, but 550 separated children remained without their parents when Trump’s presidency ended.

A family reunification task force established by Biden has reunited 105 families so far, authorities said.

Once brought together, the families may be permitted to remain in the country, authorities said.

About Kevin Deutsch 265 Articles
Kevin Deutsch is a Staff Writer for Bronx Justice News covering the criminal justice system, drugs, and DNA use by law enforcement. An award-winning journalist, Deutsch is the author of the true crime books "Pill City" and "The Triangle." He has worked on staff at the Daily News, Miami Herald, Newsday, The Palm Beach Post, and The Riverdale Press. His work has also appeared in Newsweek, Columbia Journalism Review, The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Forward, The Independent, Huffington Post, Orlando Sentinel, and the New York Post, among other publications. His numerous television appearances include spots on CNN, MSNBC, and C-SPAN's BookTV. He has also been featured in The New Yorker. A Bronx resident, Deutsch hosts the true crime podcast "A Dark Turn" on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network.