The Trump administration has identified more than 500 unaccompanied migrant children in US government custody to be potentially removed from the country, according to Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden. These children, who have been in custody for at least six months, do not have a relative or guardian in the United States.

Background

The administration previously attempted to repatriate Guatemalan children in government custody who arrived in the United States alone and didn’t have a parent in the country, but that effort was stopped by a federal judge. A similar effort appears to be underway now, focusing on children who have been in custody for at least six months and don’t have a relative or guardian in the United States.

Sen. Wyden has expressed concern over the potential removal of these children, stating that it would place them in immediate jeopardy and undermine the nation’s commitment to due process. The senator has demanded the immediate suspension of any screening initiative and planned removal action, as well as additional information on the effort.

An HHS spokesperson stated that there are no plans to target these children and that the Trump Administration is working to identify the parents or legal guardians of unaccompanied alien children in their care. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is housed within HHS, is charged with the care of migrant children who arrive at the US southern border alone.

Concerns and Controversy

Immigrant advocates and attorneys who work with migrant children have raised alarm over the potential removal of these children, arguing that returning them to their home country is not always in their best interest. Many of these children have legal counsel in their immigration proceedings and are seeking relief in the US due to dangerous conditions in their home countries.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.