@Jaxk The way I understand it, previously, the relatives would pick up the children, but now the relatives are having their legality questioned, and so those without papers won’t come forward to take the children. Some people obviously don’t have relatives here, so then the point is moot.
There was a recording of a girl crying saying she wanted to go to her aunt, and that she has her aunt’s phone number. My guess is her mom had drummed into the girl’s head to ask for her aunt and to memorize the number. They must know how it all works. I don’t know how expediently this administration is calling in the relatives already living here when that is an option?
I used to hear about some of the detention centers in Miami, I don’t know what typically went on there. That was mostly Cubans and Haitians obviously. I don’t know if the children were separated there? It would be interesting to know. Cubans floated over more than most people realize, unless you live here in Florida.
I can’t help but think of Hurricane Katrina. Law is that the Fed can’t go into the states unless asked to. The LA governor didn’t ask, didn’t do her job quickly enough, the Fed should have ignored the law in face of her incompetence. Because Bush didn’t, he was in the end incompetent too.
My guess is the law you linked was enacted in the spirit of putting the burden on HHS to care for the children, to show compassion for the children. We have to stick with that spirit of the law, and do what is compassionate. Maybe we need to rethink that law. I don’t see any reason why parents can’t be in touch with their children even if the child is removed. Skype, phone, visits, etc. Personally, I think we can have family friendly facilities. Sometimes it might be necessary to separate the kids, but the majority of the time I can’t see why that would be the case.
What is completely unacceptable is not knowing for sure where the children are. Is that really happening? They are having trouble matching the child to the parent? That’s an outrage.