Deportation Excuse, Covid-19

BURBANK, CA - On Wednesday, a federal judge from the District of Columbia issued an order to stop the Trump administration from sending back unaccompanied minors.

(Credit dcd.uscourts.gov // Courthouse)

The lawsuit came after pro-immigrant groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the Texas Civil Rights Project, the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, among others, took a stand against using the pandemic as a means to deport immigrants quickly.

Since March, the Trump administration had been using Covid-19 as a reason to stop allowing immigrants in the country. Under the claim of public health safety, the Trump administration had previously shut the Mexico and Canada borders.

According to the case file in March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director had determined that it was necessary to suspend any person's introductions because it would put the public and Customs and Border Protection personnel at risk.

After hearing the case, Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled against the Trump administration. According to NPR, there have been almost 9,000 minors who were sent back to their home countries.

According to the ACLU, the Trump administration had been using Tittle 42 under the Public Service Health Act as a means to expedite deportations. The CBP website sates that under Tittle 42, people may be denied entry due to public health concern. However, there was nothing about the removal of persons already in the United States.

The ACLU also said that the children who have been deported were not showing Covid-19 symptoms, nor were they tested. These kids were also never allowed to apply for either refugee or asylum status.

The argument used in the lawsuit was that Tittle 42 did not legally allow the removal of children. They added that is also violated four other acts, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which protects victims of human trafficking regardless of their legal status.

Emmanuel Reyna, who immigrated to the United States at eleven without lawful status calls this unethical. He added that if the point is to stop the spread of Covid-19. Then deporting people will only cause a larger spread instead of containing it.

By: Miriam Frutos Rodriguez

Contribution: NPR

Photo: dcd.uscourts.gov

Audio: Miriam Frutos Rodriguez

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Judge Orders Trump to Stop Deporting Minors

Stop Minor Deportations

Federal Judge Rules Against the Trump Administration