Breaking news via the Washington Post who, quoting an anonymous official, said CBP will no longer prosecute “migrant parents who cross the border illegally with children.: This would be a literal “big, if true” moment:
BREAKING: Trump administration will stop prosecuting migrant parents who cross the border illegally with children, official says https://t.co/Uwno8OljfM
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) June 21, 2018
“We’re suspending prosecutions of adults who are members of family units until ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) can accelerate resource capability to allow us to maintain custody,” the official said.https://t.co/TaycWQXhlQ
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) June 21, 2018
So basically Trump administration is now doing catch-and-release as a formal (if temporary) policy for families at the border
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) June 21, 2018
According to the official, although the migrant families will be held in detention, they “will likely be released from custody while they await court hearings”:
"Because ICE lacks the detention capacity to increase the number of families it holds in detention, the official acknowledged that many migrant parents and children will likely be released from custody while they await court hearings."
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) June 21, 2018
DOJ spokesperson Sarah Isgur Flores pushed back on the report:
The Washington Post never reached out to the Department. Their story is not accurate. There has been no change to the Department’s zero tolerance policy to prosecute adults who cross our border illegally instead of claiming asylum at any port of entry at the border.
— Sarah Isgur Flores (@SarahFloresDOJ) June 21, 2018
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The Washington Post did update its reporting, however:
This story has been updated to clarify how migrant parents will be processed going forward.
The U.S. Border Patrol will no longer refer migrant parents who cross into the United States illegally with children to federal courthouses to face criminal charges, a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official told The Washington Post on Thursday.
And it’s still not quite clear what’s been changed, if anything:
More from DOJ spox: They say "zero tolerance" policy is still in effect and that prosecutors will continue to pursue all illegal entry cases. But cases are referred to DOJ by DHS, we're trying to find out if there's been a change on the DHS/CBP side. Stay tuned.
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) June 21, 2018
“Stay tuned” indeed.
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