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Department of Justice Argues Against Compensating Families Separated at Border

Plus: Supreme Court considers indefinite immigration detention, and voters want to stop for-profit immigration detention

Fisayo Okare

Jan 15, 2022

A close-up view of the fence along the U.S. border

A close-up view of the fence along the U.S. border (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

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This summary was featured in Documented’s Early Arrival newsletter. You can subscribe to receive it in your inbox three times per week here.

The Department of Justice is arguing against compensating immigrants separated from their families by the Trump administration. A Pennsylvania court filing shows the DOJ stated separated families are not entitled to compensation and asked for a dismissal of a case fighting for payment. A motion was also filed in California to dismiss a similar lawsuit, and it’s likely that more will follow suit. The development follows disagreements in negotiations between attorneys of the separated families and the Department of Justice. In the briefing, the DOJ maintained it does not approve of the Trump-era policy of separating families, but questioned whether migrants who entered the country without authorization can challenge immigration enforcement. Washington Post

In other federal immigration news…

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Supreme Court Tackles Indefinite Immigration Detention

Supreme Court justices seemed split as they heard a case concerning the federal government’s request to deny bond hearings to certain immigrants who have been detained for months or years. The immigrants argued against the long duration of their detention, maintaining that after six months, federal law permits them to have bond hearings. The federal government countered that such provisions do not exist. Attorneys representing opposing camps argued for and against a federal law that permits the detention of immigrants if a deportation is expected in the “reasonably foreseeable future.” USA TODAY

Most Voters Want Federal Government to Stop For-Profit Immigrant Detention

An American Civil Liberties Union and YouGov poll shows that 68% of respondents want the federal government to stop partnering with for-profit prison companies to build private detention centers. Many Americans have become aware of the cruel conditions and problematic business model of private prisons, and want President Biden to keep his promise to end for-profit detention centers. Biden’s administration has abandoned its own stated values by continuing to seek out contracts with private prison companies to detain immigrants throughout the country, despite strong public support to end the practice. ACLU

Fisayo Okare

Fisayo writes Documented’s "Early Arrival" newsletter and "Our City" column. She is an MSc. graduate of Columbia Journalism School, New York, and earned her BSc. degree in Mass Comm. from Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

@fisvyo

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