Images of tearful embraces and family reunifications have spread quickly across social media over the past few days, against the backdrop of legal battles and public pressure for the government to reunify families who have been separated at the border.
According to recent estimates from the Department of Health and Human Services there are up to 3,000 separated children still in the government’s custody. Despite an executive order and a federal court ruling aimed at quickly reuniting children and parents affected by the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy towards immigration enforcement, there remains a lack of clarity around the plans and processes to reunify families. The administration conceded on Monday that it will not meet a court deadline to reunite young children with their parents by Tuesday.