According to a report in USA Today, border patrol agents continue to separate migrant children from their parents. This decision, which is made without consulting a child welfare specialist, flies in the face of child welfare best practices. Sandy Santana, Executive Director of Children’s Rights, issued the following statement:
“The Administration’s current practice of relying on border patrol agents to evaluate whether an immigrant child should be taken into government custody is random, chaotic and patently unfair to families. It’s also not fair to the agents, who lack the professional qualifications to determine whether a child is at risk. The decision to take a child away from a parent is monumental, with life-shattering consequences. Every person who cares about the rule of law and the integrity of the family should demand that we replace the current chaos at the border with a transparent, workable procedure. Even our imperfect foster care system can provide guidance: every state in the country has enacted laws that allow children to be removed from their parents’ care only when circumstances exist that endanger the life and wellbeing of the child. And whatever federal process we do adopt must include the involvement of child welfare professionals, prioritize the safety of children, and protect the rights of parents.”