LULAC Responds To New Trump Rule That Prolongs Detention Of Migrant Children

Washington, DC – Today, the Trump Administration issued a new regulation that would allow the federal government to detain migrant families beyond the 20-day cap currently in place under the Flores Settlement Agreement, a federal consent decree that for decades, has set the standard for how long children can be held in custody and the conditions of their detention. Sindy Benavides, LULAC Chief Executive Officer, issued the following statement in response to the new regulation:

“On the heels of 22 murders inspired by Trump-rhetoric, and 680 families devastated by ICE raids at a meat processing plant in Mississippi, the Trump Administration’s withdrawal from the Flores Settlement Agreement is yet another cruel and low attack on Latino refugee children and families. We know that at least seven children have died in immigration custody, and the fact that Donald Trump and his administration want to keep minors detained for more than 20 days in squalid detention centers will forever be a part of President Trump’s stained legacy. The American people and Latino communities everywhere will not stand for the exploitation of children to increase the profits of private detention centers. We will not serve as political pawns to energize a White supremacist base. Our children are not a commodity. We look forward to seeing this policy overturned in court. Our beloved country and the American people are better than this.”

Click here to download the Press Release (PDF version).

About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/