U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro convened a press conference to address the prolonged detention of unaccompanied minors in federal immigration custody. DeLauro criticized the Trump administration’s policies, which have led to extended stays in detention for these children.
Detention Conditions
According to DeLauro, the average stay of children in Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) detention is now over 200 days. This has resulted in children developing anxiety and depression due to the prolonged separation from their families.
Martha Stone, founder and special counsel for the Hartford-based Center for Children’s Advocacy, shared quotes from her clients, including a 16-year-old who said, ‘I feel trapped. I can’t leave. And everywhere I go, I am always accompanied by a worker. I’m so young. It’s hard not feeling free.’
Tess Reagan, managing director of the Hartford-based nonprofit Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), called for the Trump administration to ‘immediately reimburse legal services providers for work already completed’ and ensure ‘robust legal services for unaccompanied children is in place moving forward’.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
