A federal judge in California has extended a court agreement ensuring safe and sanitary conditions for migrant children in federal custody for an additional 18 months. This decision comes after concerns were raised about the ability of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to fully meet its responsibilities under the agreement without additional support.
The court-appointed monitor will continue to visit and report on conditions for children in custody at CBP facilities in the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso, Texas. This extension follows reports of children being separated from their families for extended periods and being held in poor sanitary conditions.
In 2019, a tragic incident occurred when a Guatemalan teenager died in custody due to a flu outbreak and inadequate medical care at a federal facility in Weslaco, Texas. Subsequently, an agreement was reached in July 2022 to implement monitoring of CBP's progress in providing safe conditions for migrant children.
The latest report filed in December highlighted positive changes but also noted ongoing issues such as the separation of parents from their children during custody. Concerns were raised about discrepancies in CBP data, suggesting underreporting of the number of children exceeding the recommended three-day limit in custody.
While CBP was set to begin self-monitoring its facilities, the court ruled in favor of renewing the agreement following concerns raised by plaintiffs. The agency had issued new guidance on family unity and increased training on detention policies under the Biden administration, but doubts remained about its readiness.
The National Youth Law Center expressed relief at the court's decision, emphasizing that no child should endure prolonged stays in unsanitary conditions. The potential changes in immigration policies, including longer detention times exceeding the court-recommended 72 hours for families, have sparked debates on the treatment of migrant children in federal custody.
