170 people were arrested by U.S. immigration authorities since early July and late November, immigrants tried to claim migrant children in government custody, severe measures were taken to restrict relatives from volunteering to take in some of the 14,000 detained children.
the arrested migrants consist of 61 criminals, along with 109 others who had only committed immigration violations.
U.S. laws and legal precedent limit the time migrant juveniles can be detained, so those caught crossing the border alone are often released to their parents or other close relatives.
In April, The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security said they would share more information about children and their potential sponsors. That information was not previously routinely shared. HHS now provides immigration authorities with names, dates of birth, and fingerprints of potential sponsors. All adult members of the potential sponsor’s household must also be fingerprinted, something not required in the past.
immigrant advocates have criticized the policy change, saying it is scaring parents and other relatives from claiming their children.
President Donald Trump is still keeping his promise to keep away all immigrants, has ordered more aggressive enforcement to dissuade them from crossing the U.S. southern border.
