Will the Govt Meet the Family Reunification Deadline? It's Unlikely for Many Separated Families

The federal government says of the 2,551 children it separated from their parents under the former "zero tolerance" policy, it has reunified 1,187. But will it reunite the rest with their parents by a court-imposed Thursday deadline? Not even close according to a government court filing.

That's because the government has acknowledged that 463 of the parents may no longer be in the United States. Many immigration experts believe the government deported them and they worry about the circumstances. Did the parents have to withdraw their asylum claims?  Did they understand that their children would not be deported with them?

Or did they knowingly choose to leave and allow their children to stay? 

Matthew Soerens, U.S. director of Church Mobilization for World Relief explained, "The harsh reality is that some parents might prefer to be deported without their children, knowing that their kids would presumably at least be safe in the US."  

Soerens said the children will likely go to live with a relative in the US and that for some parents, that would be a better option than living with the risk of being killed by a gang in their home country.

Faith Groups at Work

Meanwhile, faith groups are at work helping to speed the reunification process and minister to reunited families. Grand Rapids-based Bethany Christian Services reported Tuesday that 85 percent of the children in its care, who were separated under the zero tolerance policy, have been reunited with their families. 

"We are working nonstop with HHS (Health and Human Services) on reunification efforts," a spokeswoman told CBN News.

In San Antonio Catholic Charities is receiving reunited families that the government has released. It provides food, shelter and clothing for these families and arranges for travel to get to their destination. Case workers even purchase plane tickets and also provide phones for families to call relatives.

Catholic Charities has raised $127,000 to fund the effort and is utilizing more than 300 volunteers to assist the families.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is battling with the federal government in court over how much time to allow reunited families to decide whether or not they'll seek asylum.  

The ACLU says that families should have at least a week to decide so that they can discuss the process of seeking asylum with their children and lawyers.

The Trump administration, however, would like a four-day waiting period, citing expenses. It says it costs $319 a day to detain a family member.