US court orders minors to be reunited with parents in 30 days
Washington, June 27 : A court in the US has ordered the government to reunite hundreds of separated minors with their parents within 30 days, in a first major rebuke to the Trump administration during ongoing furore over family separations at the border.
The court order on late Tuesday asked federal officials to stop detaining parents apart from their minor children, absent a determination the parent is unfit or the parent declines reunification; reunify all parents with their children under the age of 5 within 14 days and reunify all parents with their children age 5 and older within 30 days.
The order by federal judge of the court in San Diego (California), Dana Sabraw, also mandated that officials let parents contact their children by phone within 10 days, if the parent is not already in contact with his or her child, CNN reported.
Since the US started in April its controversial "zero tolerance" strategy against immigration -- that was suspended last week over strong criticism from several quarters -- the government led by President Donald Trump separated 2,575 minors from their parents at the Mexico border.
Sabraw's verdict came in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of two women, one from Congo, who was separated from her seven-year-old daughter, and the other from Brazil, who was separated from her 14-year-old son.
The judge also suspended the deportation of parents, who remained separated from their children. The judge described the separation of families as a "chaotic circumstance of the government's own making".
Sabraw's decision could help clear the confusion created by an order issued last week by Trump to stop separation of families at the border, but without clear instructions about how to reunite them.
The government's decision to suspend separation of families had come after global outrage over images of children being imprisoned in different facilities, often resembling cages.
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Beauty of democracy: Tharoor congratulates BJP on civic body poll win in his constituency
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday, while lauding the win of the UDF in Kerala local bodies elections, also congratulated the BJP for its historic performance in his Thiruvananthapuram constituency, calling it the "beauty of democracy".
In a post on X, he said the people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in his constituency.
"What a day of amazing results in the Kerala local self-government elections! The mandate is clear, and the democratic spirit of the state shines through.
"A huge congratulations to @UDFKerala for a truly impressive win across various local bodies! This is a massive endorsement and a powerful signal ahead of the state legislative elections. Hard work, a strong message and anti-incumbency have all clearly paid off to achieve a much better result than in 2020," Tharoor said.
He said he also acknowledges the historic performance of the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, and "offer humble congratulations on their significant victory in the city corporation - a strong showing that marks a notable shift in the capital's political landscape."
Tharoor said he campaigned for a change from 45 years of the LDF "misrule", but the voters have ultimately rewarded another party that also sought a clear change in governance.
"That is the beauty of democracy. The people's verdict must be respected, whether for the UDF overall or for the BJP in my constituency.
"We will continue to work for the betterment of Kerala, advocating for the people's needs and upholding the principles of good governance. Onwards and upwards!" Tharoor, who is the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said.
The lotus bloomed in the state capital as the BJP-led NDA achieved a resounding win in the polls for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, snatching it from the CPI(M)-led LDF and marking an end to 45 years of continuous Left rule in the local body.
The win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will act as a boost for the BJP in the 2026 Assembly polls, especially in the state capital.
Of the 101 wards in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the BJP won 50, LDF 29, UDF 19 and two wards were won by independent candidates.
The BJP is one seat short of a decisive majority in the corporation.
Besides this, the NDA retained the Palakkad municipality after a close battle with the Congress-led UDF and wrested the Thrippunithura Municipality from the grand old party.
In Thrissur, from where Suresh Gopi won in the Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP won 18 out of the 46 wards in Kodungallur Municipality, eight in Thrissur Corporation, two each in Guruvayoor and Vadakkancherry municipalities, seven in Kunnamkulam Municipality, six in Irinjalakuda Municipality and one in Chalakudy Municipality.
