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.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Hubballi: Gym trainer assaulted; police say clash due to personal reasons
Hubballi: A gym trainer was allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations of sexual assault and ‘love jihad’, even as both families involved in the case traded serious allegations.
According to police, a group of individuals went to the residence of Sameer Mulla, a resident of Vijayanagar, and questioned him over his friendship with a woman he had met at a gym. The situation escalated into a clash, during which he was allegedly dragged away and assaulted. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to KIMS hospital.
N. Shashikumar said that after this incident, members from Sameer’s side went to the woman’s house, leading to another clash in which one person was injured. “It was wrong for groups to go near houses. We will take necessary legal action,” he said, adding that the incident appears to have arisen from personal reasons. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating the matter.
Sameer Mulla was reportedly thrashed by a group of Sangh Parivar activists and later handed over to police at the Old Hubballi Police Station after relatives of the woman and members of Hindu organisations gathered at his residence in Rajnagar.
The woman’s family alleged assault and threats from Sameer’s relatives at their Vikas Nagar residence.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s family denied the allegations and accused the woman’s relatives and others of assaulting and kidnapping him. His sister said the two had been in a relationship for three years and that the allegations were baseless.
Police said statements from both sides have been recorded, and a detailed investigation is underway. Sameer remains hospitalised, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on findings.
In a video statement shared on social media, the 20-year-old woman alleged that Sameer had given her an intoxicant, recorded videos without her consent, and sexually assaulted her. She lodged a complaint alleging rape and blackmail, which police are investigating.
In another video, Sameer denied the allegations, claiming the video was recorded with consent and that the accusations were made under pressure.
Former Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) chairman Nagesh Kalburgi termed the incident a serious matter and urged police to take strict action.
Police said the case involves multiple complaints from both sides, and further investigation is underway.
