Latest news with #childmigrants
Sky News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
King urged to seek Canadian apology for historical abuse of British children
King Charles and Queen Camilla are being urged to use their visit to Canada to seek an apology for the abuse of British children. Campaigners have called on them to pursue an apology for the "dire circumstances" suffered by so-called "Home Children" over decades. More than 100,000 were shipped from orphan homes in the UK to Canada between 1869 and 1948 with many used as cheap labour, typically as farm workers and domestic servants. Many were subject to mistreatment and abuse. Canada has resisted calls to follow the UK and Australia in apologising for its involvement in child migrant schemes. Campaigners for the Home Children say the royal visit presents a "great opportunity" for a change of heart. "I would ask that King Charles uses his trip to request an apology," John Jefkins told Sky News. John's father Bert was one of 115,000 British Home Children transported to Canada, arriving in 1914 with his brother Reggie. "It's really important for the Home Children themselves and for their descendants," John said. "It's something we deserve and it's really important for the healing process, as well as building awareness of the experience of the Home Children. "They were treated very, very badly by the Canadian government at the time. A lot of them were abused, they were treated horribly. They were second-class citizens, lepers in a way." John added: "I think the King's visit provides a great opportunity to reinforce our campaign and to pursue an apology because we're part of the Commonwealth and King Charles is a new Head of the Commonwealth meeting a new Canadian prime minister. It's a chance, for both, to look at the situation with a fresh eye. "There's much about this visit that looks on our sovereignty and who we are as Canadians, rightly so. "I think it's also right that in contemplating the country we built, we focus on the people who built it, many in the most trying of circumstances." King Charles and Queen Camilla are on a two-day visit to Canada. On Tuesday, the King will deliver the Speech from the Throne to open the 45th session of Canada's parliament. Camilla was made Patron of Barnardo's in 2016. The organisation sent tens of thousands of Home Children to Canada. She took on the role, having served as president since 2007. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment. A spokesperson for the Canadian government said: "The government of Canada is committed to keeping the memory of the British Home Children alive. "Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada deeply regrets this unjust and discriminatory policy, which was in place from 1869 to 1948. Such an approach would have no place in modern Canada, and we must learn from past mistakes."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Trump administration seeks to end protections for immigrant children in federal custody
The Trump administration is seeking to end an immigration policy cornerstone that since the 1990s has offered protections to child migrants in federal custody, a move that will be challenged by advocates, according to a court filing Thursday. The protections in place, known as the Flores Settlement, largely limit to 72 hours the amount of time that child migrants traveling alone or with family and detained by the U.S. Border Patrol. They also ensure the children are kept in safe and sanitary conditions. President Donald Trump tried to end the protections during his first term and his allies have long railed against it. The court filing, submitted jointly by the administration and advocates, says the government plans to detail its arguments later Thursday and proposes a hearing on July 18 before U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee. The settlement is named for a Salvadoran girl, Jenny Flores, whose lawsuit alleging widespread mistreatment of children in custody in the 1980s prompted special oversight. In August 2019, the first Trump administration asked a judge to dissolve the agreement. Its motion eventually was struck down in December 2020 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Under the Biden administration, oversight protections for child migrants were lifted for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after new guidelines were put in place last year. The Department of Homeland Security is still beholden to the agreement, including Customs and Border Protection, which detains and processes children after their arrival in the U.S. with or without their parents. Children then are usually released with their families or sent to a shelter operated by HHS, though processing times often go up when the number of people entering increases in a short time period. Even with the agreement in place, there have been instances where the federal government failed to provide adequate conditions for children, as in a case in Texas where nearly 300 children had to be moved from a Border Patrol facility following reports they were receiving inadequate food, water and sanitation. Court-appointed monitors provide oversight of the agreement and report noncompliant facilities to Gee. CBP was set to resume its own oversight but in January a federal judge ruled it was not ready and extended the use of court-appointed monitors for another 18 months.
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump administration files motion to end protections for immigrant children in federal custody
McALLEN, Texas — The Trump administration filed a motion on Thursday to end a policy cornerstone that since the 1990s has offered protections to child migrants in federal custody, in a move that likely will be challenged by advocates. The protections in place, known as the Flores Settlement, largely limit to 72 hours the amount of time that child migrants traveling alone or with family and detained by the U.S. Border Patrol can be kept in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody. They also ensure the children are kept in safe and sanitary conditions.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump administration files motion to end protections for immigrant children in federal custody
McALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Trump administration filed a motion on Thursday to end a policy cornerstone that since the 1990s has offered protections to child migrants in federal custody, in a move that likely will be challenged by advocates. The protections in place, known as the Flores Settlement, largely limit to 72 hours the amount of time that child migrants traveling alone or with family and detained by the U.S. Border Patrol can be kept in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody. They also ensure the children are kept in safe and sanitary conditions. The Flores settlement is named for a Salvadoran girl, Jenny Flores, whose lawsuit alleging widespread mistreatment of children in custody in the 1980s prompted special oversight. This is the second time the federal government under Trump has attempted to end the policy. In August 2019, the first Trump administration asked a judge to dissolve the agreement. Its motion eventually was struck down in December 2020 by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Under the Biden administration, oversight protections for child migrants were lifted for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after new guidelines were put in place last year. The Department of Homeland Security is still beholden to the agreement, including Customs and Border Protection, which detains and processes children after their arrival in the U.S. with or without their parents. Children then are usually released with their families or sent to a shelter operated by HHS, though processing times often go up when the number of people entering increases in a short time period. Even with the agreement in place, there have been instances where the federal government failed to provide adequate conditions for children, as in a case in Texas where nearly 300 children had to be moved from a Border Patrol facility following reports they were receiving inadequate food, water and sanitation. Court-appointed monitors provide oversight of the agreement and report noncompliant facilities to Chief U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee of the Central District of California. CBP was set to resume its own oversight but in January a federal judge ruled it was not ready and extended the use of court-appointed monitors for another 18 months.
