SAN DIEGO (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union says more than 900 children have been separated from their families at the border since a judge ordered last year that the practice be sharply curtailed.
The group said in a court filing Tuesday in San Diego that 911 children had been separated from their families since the court order. They include 678 whose parents faced allegations of criminal conduct. Other reasons include alleged gang affiliation, unfitness or child safety concerns, “unverified familial relationship,” or parent illness.
The ACLU says about one of every five children separated is under 5 years old.
In June 2018, the judge ordered that the practice of splitting families at the border be halted except in limited circumstances, like a parent’s criminal history or concerns about a child’s safety.
