The Department of Justice (DOJ) formally Rescinded the Trump Administration's controversial "zero tolerance" Policy that called for the Criminal Prosecution of Adults crossing the Border and led to the Separation of Thousands of Families.
The Policy was Ended by the Trump Administration in June 2018 after mounting Criticism, but the DOJ moved to Rescind it Altogether. "Consistent with this longstanding principle of making individualized assessments in criminal cases, I am rescinding -- effective immediately -- the policy directive," Acting Attorney General, Monty Wilkinson, said in a Memo to Federal Prosecutors.
Lawyers are still Unable to Reach the Parents of 611 Children who had been Split from their Families by U.S. Border Officials between 2017 and 2018, according to the latest Court filing. "This action is a good start, but what is really needed is for Congress to repeal penalties for unauthorized entry that result in family separation," said American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Lawyer, Lee Gelernt, the Lead Attorney in the Family Separation Lawsuit. "And the end of the zero-tolerance policy does not impact already separated families. The Biden administration should reunite the separated families in the United States and provide them citizenship, resources, care, and a commitment that family separation will never happen again."
A Justice Department Spokeswoman called the "zero tolerance" Policy "inconsistent with the Department's longstanding principle that we exercise judgment and make individualized assessments in criminal cases." "Today's action restores to prosecutors their traditional discretion to make charging decisions based on a careful review of the particular facts and circumstances of individual immigration cases," the Spokeswoman said.
The Policy had Long-Term Ramifications for the Thousands of Families it Affected. Since the Policy Ended, a Series of Government Watchdog Reports have Detailed the Disarray within Agencies when the Policy was Implemented, the Lack of Planning, and Trauma it Inflicted on the Children separated from their Parents.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
