Congressman Panetta and Fellow Members of Congress Call On Trump To Explain How And When Administration Will Reunite Separated Families
Congressman Panetta and Fellow Members of Congress Call On Trump To Explain How And When Administration Will Reunite Separated Families
Congressman Panetta and his House colleagues called upon the Trump Administration to immediately start reuniting separated families. They asked key questions on how the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services are actually going to reunite separated family members.
The letter comes after President Trump signed an executive order temporarily ending the practice of separating families crossing the southern border but has not specified exactly how or when families will be reunited.
The full letter can be read below.
The Honorable Alex M. Azar II The Honorable Kirstjen M. Nielsen
Secretary Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Department of Homeland Security
330 C Street SW 245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, D.C. 20416 Washington, D.C. 20528
Dear Secretary Azar and Secretary Nielsen:
We are writing with deep concerns about the consequences of your Administration's "zero-tolerance policy" for the families crossing our southern border. President Trump today signed an executive order to detain families together, but over 2,000 children have already been separated from their parents and placed under the jurisdiction of U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS).
Despite statements from Secretary Nielsen during the June 18, 2018 press conference stating that separated children are being returned to their parents, there have been no confirmed cases of family reunification after children were placed in HHS custody. We join the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians, American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the American Public Health Association in their stated concerns about the impact of family separation on the physical and mental health of children, and urge the Administration to reunite families immediately.
Given these concerns, we ask that you clarify DHS and HHS policy regarding the over 2,000 children currently in custody and any future children that will be separated from their parents as a result of this Administration's recent immigration decisions.
Please state what processes are in place at DHS and HHS to coordinate the reunification of children with their families after being separated. To what extent are the agencies sharing information?
What are the active measures taken by the agencies to communicate information about the children's whereabouts with their families, attorneys, and advocates?
How many children have been reunited with the parents they traveled with since the establishment of the "zero-tolerance policy"? How many children have been placed with other relatives or caretakers that HHS contacted?
Many of the detained children have the contact information for other relatives who live in the United States, but some of these relatives do not have legal immigration status. Is this contact information available for deportation purposes or shared Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)?
Everyone, regardless of party affiliation, can understand the heartbreak and trauma of being separated from their children. As we continue to call on the Administration to end this inhumane practice, we know that thousands of children are still detained and separated from their families. Thank you for your consideration of this request, we look forward to a timely response.