A federal court ruled the federal government can start the expulsion of unaccompanied migrant children apprehended at the southern border under a public health order enacted by former President Donald Trump. Ruth Clemens, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, did not specify if these expulsion would restart immediately. Lee Gelernt, a lawyer from American Civil Liberties Union, said even if the Biden administration doesn’t lift the restrictions quickly, it could still not apply the policy to children. The three judges on the panel, all appointed by Trump, did not explain the reversal in the two-page order. The New York Times
Undoing Family Separation Proves Challenging
President Biden will announce his task force that plans to reunite migrant families separated at the border during the Trump administration on Tuesday. Immigrant advocates and attorneys warn it will take a while to undo Trump’s policies. More than 5,500 families were split under the previous president. Biden meanwhile promised to undo Trump’s policies, and signed immigration reforms on his first day in office. Biden officials said they plan on committing political capital, energy and resources to search for the parents of separated children, offer them legal status and change U.S. immigration law to ensure this does not occur again. Politico
Biden’s Immigration Overhaul Splits Congress
Biden’s plan to restore immigration is causing a divide in Congress. The new president’s first legislative proposal includes providing 11 million undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, boosting refugee protections and installing technology along the border to monitor crossings. Democrats are aware they need GOP support in the Senate to pass any of these proposals. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the incoming Judiciary Committee chairman, wants to reintroduce his DREAM Act legislation with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) during the first week in February. Republicans have criticized Biden’s immigration proposal and said it will not go anywhere in a 50-50 Senate. The Hill
