On Monday, the US government reported it will settle a 2018 class-action lawsuit after the controversial family separation practice during the Trump era at the US-Mexico border. A joint petition has been filed to court, asking for approval of the settlement.
The proposed settlement would establish a systematic procedure to reunify the families separated due to this policy. In addition to reunification, the government will provide behavioral health services, housing support, and a fund to cover certain medical costs. They will also arrange immigration legal services with the Executive Office for Immigration Review for those affected by the family separation policy. However, the settlement does not include any monetary compensation for people impacted.
The controversial program, which saw a wave of criticism and public outcry, began when former Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced in May 2018, that the Department of Justice would separate undocumented parents and children crossing the border.
The policy faced severe backlash from different corners such as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 21 state attorneys general and even faced a lawsuit filed by 17 states. Shortly after, in June 2018, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order, effectively ending the family separation policy.
The original lawsuit, Ms. L v. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for a woman who was “forcibly separated” from her seven-year-old daughter in 2017 when they tried to enter the US via San Diego’s port of entry after fleeing from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They were sent to separate detention facilities shortly after entering the country.
The gravity of this case was emphasized by ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero, who stated in a press release, “The ACLU has settled hundreds of lawsuits in our 103-year history, but none more important than this one. To America’s enduring shame, we tore children from the arms of their families to enact a xenophobic agenda.”
Claims can be filed by those who believe they have been affected by the policy at together.gov.