Migrant Children
The Trump Administration Is Still Separating Families Over Minor Offenses
At least 911 immigrant children have been separated from their parents at the border since June of 2018.
Persecution Based on Family Ties Will No Longer Qualify as Grounds for Asylum, the Attorney General Rules
The decision could affect thousands of asylum seekers fleeing violence, particularly from Central America.
The Young Hands That Feed Us
An estimated 524,000 children work unimaginably long hours in America's grueling agricultural fields, and it's all perfectly legal.
If Conditions for Detained Migrant Children Got Worse, How Would We Know?
Detention centers on the border are notorious for being "black boxes," and outside monitoring is rare.
What Laws Protect Detained Children From Mistreatment on the Border?
Federal statute protects the most basic of children's rights—but advocates say the government is still trying to find loopholes.
Can DACA Outlive Trump's First Term?
House Democrats will pass a bill to protect Dreamers—but without support from the Senate or the president, it's unlikely to become law.
Can We Be Sure Only Six Migrant Children Have Recently Died in Government Custody?
We now know of six children who died after spending time in government custody in the last eight months. Advocates and politicians have raised the alarm that there could be more.
A Fifth Migrant Child Died in U.S. Custody. Why Does This Keep Happening?
The government is keeping children in rudimentary detention facilities for extended periods of time, in the care of agents who are not trained to recognize when children are ill.
Trump's Immigration Plan Doesn't Address DACA. What's Going to Happen to Dreamers?
Without action from the president or Congress, DACA is unlikely to survive through the end of the year.
One Reason Migrant Children Are Dying in Government Custody: Authorities Can't Tell When They're Sick
Two recent deaths have renewed questions about whether or not the government can adequately care for minors in its custody.
What Is 'Catch and Release'?
The president uses the term to refer to immigrant families getting released before their court dates. But advocates say the term is both misleading and dehumanizing.
Did Trump Just Prove There's a Crisis on the Border?
The number of people arrested crossing the southern border skyrocketed last month, according to new statistics. But what's happening is more complicated than the numbers show.
Pediatricians Knew About Family Separation Long Before the Public Did—and They Were Worried
Colleen Kraft repeatedly warned the government that migrant children were in danger during her year as president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her worst fears were realized when two children died in government custody at the end of her term.
One Immigrant Mother Is Fighting to Be Reunified With Her Daughter—Who's a U.S. Citizen
Advocates estimate there are dozens of similar cases of immigrant parents separated from their children who have American citizenship.
What Would Ending Birthright Citizenship Mean for the United States?
Social science (and history) shows that repealing birthright citizenship is rarely an effective solution for an overburdened nation.
A New Report Reveals How Family Separation Led Border Officials to Break the Law
Unprepared for the Trump administration's zero-tolerance policy, overwhelmed border officials illegally detained children in unfit facilities, among other failures.
A Memo Reveals How the Trump Administration Built a Family Separation Policy While Denying the Policy Existed
A redacted memo released on Tuesday outlines the administration's "zero-tolerance" policy, which ensured that every adult apprehended crossing the border would be detained and prosecuted.
Trump Officials Claim to Be Unaware of the Psychological Trauma of Family Separation
High-ranking officials said on Tuesday that they did not feel qualified to speak on the growing mountain of warnings that detention could be permanently harming children.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
The Trump administration gives FEMA funds to ICE, the number of migrant children in custody soars, and Scott Pruitt courts a coal job.
What Viral Reunification Videos Reveal About the Trauma of Separated Immigrant Children
The consequences of family separation will likely be lifelong. What we are seeing now is only the beginning.
A State Report Says Severe Treatment of Teens at a Virginia Detention Center Was Not Abuse
The review was ordered after teenagers described being shackled, beaten, and stripped naked at the facility.
DACA Was 'Saved' Last Week. Now, Is a Texas Judge Going to Kill It?
After a year of battle in the courts, young immigrants fear that their protection from deportation could soon end.
What Happens If the Government Misses the Deadline for Family Reunification?
Most likely, a federal judge will just extend the deadline.
The Government May Have Deported 463 Migrant Parents Whose Children Remain in the U.S.
A progress reports shows that hundreds of migrant parents whose children remain in United States shelters may have been deported.