DOJ Puts An End To Settlement Talks With Families Separated At The Border

The Department of Justice (DOJ) discontinued settlement talks with families that were separated at the border.

The DOJ put an end to the talks, which previous reports had indicated could mean the DOJ would be paying illegal-immigrant families separated under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy up to $450,000 each in damages.

“While the parties have been unable to reach a global settlement agreement at this time, we remain committed to engaging with the plaintiffs and to bringing justice to the victims of this abhorrent policy,” DOJ spokesperson Dena Iverson said in a statement.

Deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s(ACLU) immigrant rights project Lee Gelernt said on Thursday that the talks had ended and that the government will be working to litigate hundreds of separated families’ monetary claims.

“We are hardly naive that politics sometimes plays a role in Justice Department decisions but it is shameful that it happened when the lives of little children are at stake,” Gelernt said. “History will not look kindly on the Biden administration’s decision not to stand up for these small children.”

Republicans were quick to come out against the plan once reports were published about the potential payments.

Several GOP legislators sent letters to the administration concerning the payments after the reports were published.

President Biden said last month that he believes the separated families “deserve some kind of compensation,” but also stated that he had “no idea” how much money they should receive.