U.S. immigration authorities are expanding curfews for heads of asylum-seeking families who have crossed the border and are awaiting initial screenings.
The curfews, which were initially implemented in four cities in May, will now be expanded to a total of 13 locations, including Boston, Providence, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose. The curfews, which run from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., are part of an alternative to detention program and allow for the supervision of asylum seekers through the use of GPS ankle monitors.
The curfews are in place until asylum seekers undergo an initial screening, known as a "credible fear" interview, and a decision is reached. If an asylum seeker passes the screening, they are typically allowed to continue their asylum case in court without a curfew. However, those who fail the screening are ordered to be removed.
According to an anonymous U.S. official who spoke with the Associated Press, the curfews, known as the Family Expedited Removal Program (FERM), are expected to expand to 40 cities by the end of September. The official also noted that the number of families is expected to increase significantly with the expansion of the program.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the program, stated, "While FERM initially began in four locations, (the Department of Homeland Security) is quickly expanding to cities across the country and is removing families who are determined to be ineligible for relief and are ordered removed through this non-detained enforcement process."
The extension of the curfew is seen as a positive sign by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), indicating that the program has been successful in the initial cities where it was implemented, including Baltimore, Chicago, Newark, and Washington, D.C. Denver and Minneapolis were later added to the program.
It is worth noting that current law, under the Flores settlement, prohibits the detention of families for more than 20 days. While both the Obama and Trump administrations detained families, President Joe Biden ended the practice upon taking office in 2021.
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