The incoming Trump administration plans to reintroduce family detention for migrants with children, according to Tom Homan, who will serve as President-elect Donald Trump's “border czar.”
In an interview with The Washington Post, Homan stated that the administration intends to construct family detention facilities, though the exact scale will depend on migration data.
“We’re going to need to construct family facilities,” Homan told The Washington Post. “How many beds we’re going to need will depend on what the data says.”
RELATED STORY | Immigration agency deports highest numbers since 2014, aided by more flights
The policy would mark a significant shift from the Biden administration, which ended family detention in 2021.
Under Trump’s plan, families detained together would be deported together, Homan said. However, he acknowledged a legal challenge in cases where children are U.S. citizens. In these cases, families would be given the choice to remain together or split up, allowing the child to stay in the United States while the parents are deported.
RELATED STORY | 'Have to send them all back': Trump outlines sweeping immigration plans for first day in office
Immigration advocates have already raised concerns over the return of family detention, arguing that it could lead to overcrowded facilities and potential harm to vulnerable children.
The reimplementation of family detention is expected to be part of a broader illegal immigration crackdown as Trump takes office.
