ROSEN TO HELP INTRODUCE HOUSE LEGISLATION TO KEEP CHILDREN FROM BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS AT THE BORDER
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congresswoman Jacky Rosen (NV-03) announced that she will become an original co-sponsor of the Keep Families Together Act, a new bill to be introduced this evening in the House to prohibit Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials from separating migrant children from their parents at the border. Family separation could not occur except in limited circumstances: if parental rights were terminated by a State court, a child welfare agency had issued a best interests determination, or the Port Director or the Chief Patrol Agent of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had approved separation due to trafficking indicators or other concerns of risk to the child. The legislation requires an independent child welfare official to review any such separation and return the child if no harm to the child is present. This legislation would also impose financial penalties on people who violate the prohibition on family separation. The Keep Families Together Act is the House companion of legislation recently introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein.
“There is no mandate in the law requiring border agents to separate migrant children from their parents, but the Trump Administration is playing games, ignoring public outcry, and refusing to end this awful policy,” said Rosen. “Innocent children who are being detained at the border, including babies and toddlers, are going through unthinkable trauma as a result of being separated from their parents. It’s shameful that some Republicans in Washington would rather use these kids as political pawns to push their own agenda instead of doing what’s right and true to our values as Americans to keep these families together. Members of Congress from both parties must work together to ensure we pass this legislation as quickly as possible.”
BACKGROUND: The Keep Families Together Act would:
· Limit Criminal Prosecutions for Asylum Seekers: The majority of the parents separated at the border are being criminally prosecuted for illegal entry or re-entry. This bill restricts the prosecution of parents who are asylum seekers by adopting the recommendation of the DHS Office of Inspector General. The bill delays prosecutions for asylum seekers and creates an affirmative defense for asylum seekers. It also codifies our commitment to the Refugee protocol prohibiting the criminal punishment of those seeking protection from persecution.
· Increase Child Welfare Training: The bill requires all CBP officers and agents to complete child welfare training on an annual basis. Port Directors and Chief Patrol Agents, those who are authorized to make decisions on family separations, must complete an additional 90 minutes of annual child-welfare training.
· Establish Public Policy Preference for Family Reunification: The bill establishes a preference for family unity, discourages the separation of siblings, and creates a presumption that detention is not in the best interests of families and children.
· Add Procedures for Separated Families: The bill requires DHS to develop policies and procedures allowing parents and children to locate each other and reunite if they have been separated. Such procedures must be public and made available in a language that parents can understand. In cases of separation, it requires DHS to provide parents with a weekly report containing information about a child, and weekly phone communication.
· Establish Other Required Measures: In order to inform Congressional oversight and promote public understanding of the use family separation, the bill requires a report on the separation of families every six months.
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ROSEN AYUDARÁ A INTRODUCIR LEGISLACIÓN PARA PREVENIR QUE LOS NIÑOS SEAN SEPARADOS DE SUS PADRES EN LA FRONTERA
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Hoy, la congresista Jacky Rosen (NV-03) anunció que será una copatrocinadora original de la Ley Mantener las Familias Unidas (Keep Families Together Act, en inglés), un nuevo proyecto de ley que se introducirá esta tarde en la Cámara para prohibirles a los oficiales del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés) a separar niños migrantes de sus padres en la frontera. La separación de familias no puede ocurrir excepto en circunstancias limitadas: si los derechos parentales fueron terminados por una corte estatal, una agencia de bienestar infantil ha emitido una determinación de mejores intereses o el director de puerto o el agente principal de vigilancia de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés) ha aprobado la separación debido a indicadores de tráfico humano u otras dudas de seguridad del niño. La legislación requiere que un oficial de bienestar infantil independiente examine cualquier separación y devuelva el niño si no hay ningún daño presente hacia el niño. También, esta legislación impondría sanciones económicas a personas quienes desobedezcan la prohibición de la separación familiar. La Ley Mantener las Familias Unidas es el acompañante en la Cámara de la legislación introducida recientemente por la senadora Dianne Feinstein.
“No hay ninguna orden judicial en la ley que requiere que los agentes fronterizos separen niños migrantes de sus padres, pero la administración de Trump está jugando, ignorando la protesta pública y negándose a acabar con esta política atroz”, dijo Rosen. “Niños inocentes detenidos en la frontera, incluso bebés y niños pequeños, están viviendo un trauma impensable debido a ser separados de sus padres. Es vergonzoso que algunos republicanos en Washington preferirían utilizar estos niños como peones en un juego político para forzar su propia agenda en lugar de hacer lo correcto de acuerdo a nuestros valores como estadounidenses de mantener estas familias unidas. Los miembros del Congreso de ambos partidos deben de trabajar juntos para asegurar que aprobemos esta legislación lo más pronto posible”.
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