The Department of Justice will be allowed to miss the Tuesday deadline to reunite migrant families
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A federal judge on Monday granted the Trump administration more time to reunite migrant families who have been separated at the border, NBC News reports.
The administration was instructed to reunite 102 children under 5 with their parents by Tuesday, but advocacy groups estimated that "less than half" of those cases would meet the deadline. The Justice Department's initial request for an extension was denied, but U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw will now allow officials to propose a revised timeline for cases that will need more time.
Sabraw acknowledged that some cases "will necessitate additional time," reports NBC News, but did not mandate a new deadline. A DOJ attorney said that 54 of the children will be reunited with their families tomorrow, but explained that some parents had been deported and others had been released, making the process more difficult. Officials are also identifying and vetting migrants, and the DOJ lawyer said that some migrant parents have criminal records that will keep them from being reunited with their children.
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Children older than 5 will still be held to the July 26 deadline for reunification. Read more at NBC News.
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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
