Thread by @HMAesq

Pursuant to Trump's #FamilySeparation Executive Order, @TheJusticeDept asked a federal court to let the government out of the Flores settlement. This binding settlement is the only law preventing the horrific caging of children apprehended by ICE. Here's what you should know:

The DOJ "motion," asks for two "narrow" exceptions to the Flores settlement:

First, to be able to detain families together.
Second, to make family jails exempt from licensing requirements, which govern the minimum standards of care in these jails.

Why?

So that our government can more efficiently detain families together in preparation for deportation.

Again: This is to make deportation easier, faster, cheaper, more efficient.

It is based on the false narrative that US immigration policies incentivize Central Americans to flee to the US and file fraudulent asylum claims. Who says so? Thomas Homan, director of ICE, a virulent anti-immigration figure.

cnn.com/2017/04/11/pol…

Wholly missing is any discussion of the convoluted asylum process, the difficulty in proving these claims, that DOJ is actively gutting asylum law to make them nearly impossible, and evidence that asylum seekers are denied the chance to make their claims.

theintercept.com/2018/06/16/imm…

DOJ is complaining that the only way to enforce the law is to detain families indefinitely. It freely conflates the word "crisis" with both the crisis *created* by Trump separating families, and the larger humanitarian one in which DOJ removes any reference to asylum seeking.

The change is necessary, according to the DOJ, because of changed circumstances of a surge in border crossings.

Missing is argument as to why that now makes lengthy incarceration of children a good idea.

It also conflates enforcement of immigration law with deportation- there is no mention of enforcing INA 208 (governing asylum). This is because the DOJ fails to recognize the real change in circumstance: the collapse of the Northern Triangle into a terrible cauldron of violence.

The government asks to detain families together so that removal proceedings can be expedited. That is code for rob them of due process and deport them, together, more efficiently.

As a result of the false narrative, the DOJ argues it is stuck between two alternatives: separate families, or tolerate gaming of the asylum system. This is absurd.

There is a clear option: Give people a meaningful chance to tell their story. Let's not be afraid to listen.

If the settlement is not modified, the government will resume separating families as the next best option.

The internment camps are going to be built.
The bottom line: They'll do what they want.

We need a new narrative. Resist isn't enough.

Build.