Last month, I reported on a meeting at DHS in August, 2017, in which Administration officials advocated for family separation to deter migrants, including asylum seekers, from Central America. Guess what was also on the agenda in that meeting? 1/
Ending the Flores Agreement, which mandated that the government meet minimum requirements for how to treat immigrant kids in government custody. 2/
Since the late 1990s, the terms of Flores got shored up and strengthened, through a 2008 law and subsequent direction from the courts. To those in the Admin who advocate separation of families, putting an end to these protections was a priority, too. Why? 3/
Stephen Miller, Gene Hamilton, Jeff Sessions—they all thought that ending these protections would discourage families and kids from migrating north to seek asylum. Without Flores, etc, kids could be held in detention longer, under tougher conditions. 4/
Family separation. Curbing asylum (e.g. sessions’ decision last week). Chipping away at Flores. All are of a piece. 5/end
