This archive report was first published on 27 June 2020.
On June 26, 2020, a US court issued a ruling that could have far-reaching implications for the country's immigration policies. District Judge Dolly Gee's decision came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody continued to rise.
According to the court, two of the country's three family detention centers have confirmed cases of the infection, putting thousands of migrants at risk. Despite efforts by ICE to lower the number of migrants in its custody, the facilities remain a hotbed of activity, with 124 children currently in detention.
"The (Family Residential Centers) are 'on fire' and there is no more time for half measures," Judge Gee wrote in her ruling. In response, she ordered the release of the 124 children by July 17, either with their parents or into the custody of "suitable sponsors" with parental consent.
The ruling is a significant blow to President Donald Trump's immigration policies, which have been criticized for their harsh treatment of migrant families. The Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy, launched in 2018, saw thousands of children separated from their parents at the border, a tactic that was widely condemned.
More than 2,500 people in ICE custody have confirmed coronavirus infections, highlighting the need for urgent action to protect the health and well-being of migrants. The US Supreme Court's recent rejection of the Trump administration's cancellation of a program protecting 700,000 "Dreamers" -- undocumented migrants brought to the United States as children -- has also sparked renewed debate about the country's immigration policies.
