.@DHSgov has released a fact sheet on family separations. Some basics: "As of June 20th HHS has 2,053 separated minors being cared for in HHS funded facilities." In this thread I'll try to add some context to the assertions DHS makes here
I’ve talked to lawyers whose clients were given a number to call to learn the whereabouts of their children. Often, they can’t call because they’re in federal prisons (where the admin has moved hundreds of immigrant detainees recently) and such facilities require $$$ to use phone 
If they overcome that obstacle, they sometimes manage to make the call but no one answers. Or they’re told they’ll get a call back which isn’t helpful because they don’t have a number they can be reached at, because they’re in detention/prison
Oops sorry forgot to link to the actual document: dhs.gov/news/2018/06/2…
This first paragraph to me implies that parents who are not being deported - ie, going through asylum process - are not covered by this “process”
It's entirely unclear when this ICE linking mechanism started. Lawyers for children and parents say for at least the first few weeks, there was no real way to link parents' and children's files to make clear that they were connected
Sorry this thread is slow, have to also, like, write the story
OK, story being edited now. Another notable part of the fact sheet is that CBP have reunited 522 children w their parents already. Some portion of these kids never made it into HHS custody because their parents were prosecuted within the 72 hour window
More here on phone calls - w/i 24 hours of arriving at an HHS facility, a minor can contact a "vetted" parent, guardian or relative. But how do you vet a parent who is in custody, often without access to a lawyer?
Here's our story on @DHSgov's new statement, including perspective from @SirineShebaya who has been visiting migrants at Port Isabel reuters.com/article/us-usa…
