USA to allow unlimited detention of migrant children – rts.ch

The US Department of Homeland Security said it was putting an end to a 1997 court ruling, "Flores", which ordered federal authorities not to detain children for more than 20 days.

A new rule, which must be implemented within 60 days, will no longer limit the time spent by children or their families in detention centers.

Discourage migrants

For Donald Trump's government, it is a question of discouraging the number of migrants who arrive in record numbers on the border with Mexico, with the hope of being released soon after their arrest if they are with children, and so be able to stay in the United States.

The reform announced Wednesday aims to "ensure that foreign families can be together during migration formalities," says the White House. "This new rule will ensure that foreign children are safe and take good care of them in detention."

An initiative immediately denounced

The human rights associations and the democratic opposition immediately denounced this initiative, promising to fight the new rule in court, which still needs to be reviewed by a federal judge.

agencies / asch