According to Deputy Border Patrol Chief, Ronald Vitiello, the number of illegal alien families captured at the border rose unexpectedly in July despite the harsh warm weather. This upward trend may continue after Judge Dolly M. Gee’s July 24 preliminary ruling that severely restricts the detaining of illegal alien families.
Judge Gee ruled that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities are violating the Flores-agreement signed in 1997 on how to treat illegal alien children. The locked doors, the 24-hour lighting, temperature spikes, and longer than 5 day holding periods are the specific conditions cited that broke the agreement. The judge’s solution would be to shut down all ICE family detention centers. Judge Gee is giving the Obama administration a chance to argue the case and the administration said they would fight the judge’s ruling to close the detention facilities.
In papers filed with the court Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer said, “Specifically, the proposed remedies could heighten the risk of another urge in illegal migration across out Southwest border by Central American families, including by incentivizing adults to bring children with them on their dangerous journey as a means to avoid detention and gain access to the interior of the United States”.
The administration argues that the Flores-agreement only applies to unaccompanied minors and the locked doors and 24-hour lighting helps to secure the facility and protect the detainees. The Justice Department has asked for a later hearing in August for a chance to present more evidence to the court and convince Judge Gee to change her preliminary ruling.
“The bottom line is that the court’s order is addressing a factual context that no longer exists (even assuming it did) and that does not apply to anyone currently housed at a family facility. Therefore, defendants request that the court reconsider its order and proposed remedy,” Mr. Mizer wrote.
Read more on this story at The Washington Times.
