COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Advocates for immigrant children are suing to block the Trump administration from enforcing a new policy that they say would erode legal protections for thousands of unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the U.S.
A class action filed Monday claims a May 31 memorandum issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services dramatically curtails asylum provisions for unaccompanied immigrant children.
Attorneys from Catholic Legal Immigration Network and Kids in Need of Defense are asking a federal judge in Maryland for a temporary restraining order benefiting all asylum seekers affected by the policy change. Their lawsuit claims the memo violates a 2008 law that protects children entering the U.S. without a parent or guardian.
USCIS spokesman Daniel Hetlage said in an email Tuesday that the agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. PHOTO: AP
