Nielsen Seeks Power to Deport Migrant Children More Quickly: Report

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will reportedly ask Congress for the ability to deport migrant children more quickly, to hold families in detention as they wait for their asylum cases to be decided, and to allow immigrants to apply for asylum from their home countries in order to deal with the influx of migrants crossing the border. According to a letter obtained by NBC News, Nielsen argues that the government’s inability to deport migrant children from the country is serving as a “dangerous 'pull' factor” for those who want to cross the border. Under current law, unaccompanied migrant children—mostly from Central America—are reportedly mandated to be reunited with a “relative or sponsor in the United States.” A court agreement also does not allow migrant families with children to be held for more than 20 days. The letter also reportedly said the administration would request additional emergency funds to deal with the flow of migrants along the southern border. Nielsen reportedly wrote that the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for caring for unaccompanied migrant children, is “still approaching its maximum capacity and will very likely require thousands of additional beds in the coming weeks and months.”