Children seized at the border are transferred to the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, where case managers work with them to relocate them in the United States with a sponsor. But a 2018 agreement between HHS and the Department of Homeland Security allowed information obtained from potential sponsors to be shared with the Department of Immigration and Customs – what a Biden government official said created a “scary effect”, where family members or sponsors were afraid to perform. .
Friday’s decision to end this policy means that there will be no immigration consequences for a family member or sponsor who wants to join an unaccompanied child in government care.
“We are a child welfare agency, we are not an immigration agency, and it makes it very clear that this administration prioritizes the union of a child with their relative or sponsor,” a Biden government official told reporters on a conference call under the condition that they not be appointed.
“It is a really strong signal that the Office for Resettlement, Health and Refugee Human Services is not involved in immigration enforcement,” added the official.
In the past few days, the number of children in HHS custody has increased, indicating that the department is gradually absorbing the number of children crossing the US-Mexico border alone, taking them out of the Border Patrol facilities unsuitable for children and children. shelters where they can be cared for.
This week, there were more than 3,700 unaccompanied migrant children in the custody of the United States Border Patrol, many of them in prison-like facilities.
There are about 8,800 unaccompanied children in HHS custody, the department confirmed on Thursday, compared to last week, when the figure was around 7,700. The official said the government is working to increase the capacity and number of beds for unaccompanied minors.
Biden has been working to find a balance between promoting a more humane approach to immigration and, at the same time, sending the message to candidates for migrants so that they do not come to the border.
The official emphasized that HHS “takes our role in child welfare very seriously and it is our responsibility to ensure that children do not stay on border patrol stations for one second longer than they should”.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report.