Administration to brief Senate panel on family reunifications

The Hill

By JORDAIN CARNEY

July 12, 2018

Administration to brief Senate panel on family reunifications

Trump administration officials will brief a key Senate panel next week on efforts to reunify families separated at the U.S.–Mexico border.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said Thursday that officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will meet with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

“As a constant and consistent supporter of congressional oversight and accountability, I want to ensure that all Members of this Committee have a meaningful opportunity to engage with Administration officials and receive detailed, specific answers to their questions and concerns,” Grassley wrote in a letter to Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).

Hirono led Democrats on the committee in requesting Grassley hold an oversight hearing on the separation of immigrant families.

The issue was thrust into the spotlight after the Trump administration implemented its “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the separation of thousands of detained immigrant families. Under the policy, officials seek to immediately prosecute those found crossing into the U.S. illegally via the southern border.

President Trump signed an executive order halting migrant family separations after facing immense public backlash from both sides of the aisle.

The administration said Thursday that all eligible children under 5 years old who were separated from their parents under the policy have been reunited, two days after a court-mandated deadline. A federal judge in California had ordered the government to return all children ages 4 and younger to their parents by July 10.

The administration faces a July 26 deadline to reunite children ages 5 to 17.

HHS previously briefed Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who are all members of the Judiciary Committee.

The four senators are trying to negotiate a bill to address how to handle the detention of families caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com