NEW HAVEN — Lawyers and advocates for children who were separated from their parents at the border celebrated their reunification at the Yale Law School in New Haven.
They also laid out the next steps in their legal battle.
“What’s going on as a matter of United States policy, is nothing short of political satism. It was designed to inflict pain on children and parents to receive joy,” said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy.
Governor Dannel Malloy joined advocates and the legal team. He applauded the U.S. District Court ruling declaring the children’s separation from their parents unconstitutional, and in the same breath, made a suggestion to the federal government.
“If the federal government wants to send other children that they continue to separate from their parents to any state, perhaps they should send them here two by two,” said Malloy.
VFB and JSR were reunited with their parents in a secure location in Connecticut on Monday. It was Described as an emotional reunion.
“The most overwhelming moment in this litigation,” said Marisol Orihuela, a lawyer for the children.
The reunification was the culmination of an intense legal battle that followed the alleged poor treatment of the families by ICE officials and a months long separation from their parents at detention facilities in Texas.
“Held the children in cages and then shipped them to Connecticut,” explained Yale Law School Professor Muneer Ahmad.
These two families from El Salvador and Honduras were once strangers but are now bonded trough a common ordeal.
“The 9 year old boy, JSR appears to have real warmth and strong feelings for the 14-year-old, VFB who was a source of strength and comfort for him during their seclusion,” said Connecticut Legal Services Director Joshua Perry.
So what happens next? The parents — who are on parole — still face deportation proceedings. It’s unclear how long they’ll stay in Connecticut. Their lawyers say the government inflicted the trauma and the government should pay for the services to help them.