Judge: Gov't Is Defying, Or Doesn't Understand, Order On Family Separations

[deminks]

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/judge-govt-is-defying-or-doesnt-understand-order-on-family-separations

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A federal judge, responding to a plan to reunify children separated at the border, said he was having second thoughts about his belief that the Trump administration was acting in good faith to comply with his orders.The Justice Department on Friday filed a plan to reunify more than 2,500 children age 5 and older by a court-imposed deadline of July 26 using “truncated” procedures to verify parentage and perform background checks, which exclude DNA testing and other steps it took to reunify children under 5.The administration said the abbreviated vetting puts children at significant safety risk but is needed to meet the deadline.

Chris Meekins, deputy assistant Health and Human Services secretary for preparedness and response, filed a declaration that he is fully committed to meeting the deadline. However, he does not believe “the placing of children into such situations is consistent with the mission of HHS or my core values.”

U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw took umbrage at Meekins’ statement, disputing the official’s interpretation of his orders and saying that safe reunification could and will occur by July 26.

“It is clear from Mr. Meekins’s declaration that HHS either does not understand the court’s orders or is acting in defiance of them,” the judge wrote late Friday. “At a minimum, it appears he is attempting to provide cover to defendants for their own conduct in the practice of family separation, and the lack of foresight and infrastructure necessary to remedy the harms caused by that practice.”

(end snip)

It may be both; they can't and they won't.

[elleng]

1. having second thoughts about his belief that the Trump administration was acting in good faith.

They have no idea what Good Faith IS.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Fuck your "core values," Mr. Meekin.

A federal judge ordered you to reunify the kids. Now do it.

[dansolo]

3. Someone should ask him what "core values" he is talking about

I suspect his "core values" have something to do with punishing immigrants attempting to come to the U.S.

[malaise]

4. Time to lock them up

Get thee to the greatest page

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. I do not get why hiding the kids is so damn important to them.

With the news out that family separation was planned as early as last spring-over a year ago- there would have been ample time to put tracking procedures in place.

With the plan being made that long ago, there would have been plenty of time to have enough facilities available.

Yet it sounds as if none of that was done.
Worse yet, the intensity of the resistance to public scrutiny, even courts, makes me have dark thoughts about what they are doing.

[malaise]

6. Follow the money

They are enriching themselves