President Trump Administration Seeks More Time to Reunite Families Separated at Border

The Trump administration is asking a judge for more time to reunite families who cross the border illegally then seek asylum, saying in court documents that officials are still struggling to match some children with parents arrested at the border.

A federal judge gave the government until Tuesday to reunite children younger than 5 years old with their parents; older minors must be reconnected with their families by July 26. That deadline in some cases doesn’t give authorities enough time to ensure children are returned to their parents and not to human traffickers, the Justice Department wrote in court documents filed ahead of a hearing Friday on the issue.

The government said it doesn’t want to “unnecessarily delay” the reunions but “has a strong interest in ensuring that any release of a child from government custody occurs in a manner that ensures the safety of that child.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, whose agency is tasked with the care of unaccompanied immigrant children, said Thursday the administration was working to overcome significant logistical challenges to reuniting up to 3,000 children with adult family members who crossed the border illegally, including using DNA testing to confirm familial relationships.

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