U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is condemning a recently proposed Trump Administration regulation affecting immigrant children.
Dingell said the proposed rule would allow the federal government to hold immigrant children with their parents for prolonged periods of time in detention centers.
She said it is an effort by officials to undermine a federal court decree, known as the Flores Agreement, that limits the detention of immigrant children to 20 days and favors keeping families together.
"Children don't belong behind bars," said Dingell, "so replacing family separation with family incarceration is just going to subject these kids to more trauma, more abuse. It is not humane."
Dingell joined with other members of Congress in a letter calling on federal officials to withdraw the proposed regulation. They suggest alternatives to detention, such as case management services, that they say are cheaper and more effective.
Trump Administration officials have said the Flores Agreement hinders the government's ability to curtail illegal immigration.
