U.S. said to consider reinstating detention of migrant families: NYT

Texas National Guard soldiers stand beside migrants in Eagle Pass, Texas, the United States on July 24, 2022. (Photo by Nick Wagner/ Xinhua)

"It is heartbreaking to hear there could be a return to the Trump-era use of this practice," says Leecia Welch.

NEW YORK, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden is considering reviving the practice of detaining migrant families who cross the border illegally, the same policy the president shut down over the past two years because he wanted a more humane immigration system, reported The New York Times (NYT) on Monday.

Although no final decision has been made, the move would be a stark reversal for Biden, who came into office promising to adopt a more compassionate approach to the border after the harsh policies of his predecessor, former President Donald J. Trump, said the report.

The Biden administration has largely ended the practice of family detention, instead releasing families into the United States temporarily and using ankle bracelets, traceable cellphones or other methods to keep track of them, according to the report.

"But the administration has turned to more restrictive measures as it struggles to handle a rise in migrants fleeing authoritarian governments and economic ruin in their countries. Officials also fear a surge at the border after May 11, when a public health measure that has allowed authorities to swiftly expel migrants expires," it said.

"Ending the inhumane practice of family detention has been one of the only positive immigration policy decisions of the Biden administration," Leecia Welch, a lead lawyer in the case that led to the 1997 Flores settlement, which limits the time children can spend in detention and establishes minimum standards for holding facilities, was quoted as saying.

"It is heartbreaking to hear there could be a return to the Trump-era use of this practice," Welch said.