Trump administration to detain families longer despite court
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump board Air Force One in Helsinki, Finland | July 16, 2018 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)
WASHINGTON - (AP) -- President Donald Trump's administration is planning to circumvent a longstanding court agreement on how children are treated in immigration custody, meaning families will be kept in detention longer.
The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday it would terminate the agreement, which requires the government to release immigrant children generally after 20 days in detention. It would instead adopt regulations that administration officials say will provide for proper care of minors but allow for changes to deter migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The 1997 case that spawned the agreement will almost certainly land back in court. U.S. District Court Judge Dolly M. Ghee already rejected a request by administration lawyers this summer to allow for longer family detention.
Advocates for immigrant families have opposed Trump's detention policies.
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