White House still trying to reunite 1,000 separated children under Trump border policy

The Biden administration has reunited more than 600 migrant children with their families after thousands of children were separated under President Donald Trump’s ‘zero tolerance’ immigration policy at the US southern border .

The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that nearly 1,000 children have yet to be reunited with loved ones, the second anniversary of the task force created to help reunifications. Many of these children are Central American migrants who were separated from their parents at the border and placed in detention centers. The effort was part of the Trump administration’s sweeping approach to immigration, intended to deter millions of migrants from seeking asylum in the United States during his tenure in the White House.

The policy has been slammed as cruel and inhumane by critics, and it has taken government officials years to reconnect their loved ones and young children.

“We understand that our critical work is not done,” DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold President Biden’s pledge to reunite all children who have been separated from their families under the ‘zero tolerance’ policy whenever possible, and we continue to work with diligently to incorporate the fundamental principle of family unity into our policies and operations.

The agency added that the number of new families who need support continues to rise as they come forward and identify as separated.

President Joe Biden launched a task force shortly after taking office in 2021 to bring families together, but the effort has been difficult. The officials said the Trump administration’s information on separated families “was patchwork at best” and “pieced together from segmented documents.”

About 4,000 children have been identified who have been separated from their families, and just under 3,000 of them have been reunited (many of whom were reunited before Biden took office). Today, 148 children are being reunited and 183 families have been contacted to reconnect with their children.

“We have made significant progress toward reuniting families and providing them with needed services and supports,” DHS said Thursday. “This essential work will continue until all separated families who can be found have had the opportunity to reunite.”