CLINIC on the Family Reunification Task Force

Michelle Mendez, CLINIC, Sept. 13, 2021 - "The Family Reunification Task Force, established in February 2021 pursuant to Executive Order 14011 seeks to bring families separated pursuant to the Trump administration’s family separation policy back together and provide all formerly separated families with support.  The Task Force, led by Michelle Brané, has identified 1,841 children who have not been reunified with their parents to date.  Today, the Task Force rolled out https://www.together.gov/ (https://www.together.gov/es for the Spanish language site and https://www.together.gov/pt for the Portuguese language site), a website that allows families who were removed from the United States and may still be separated to come forward, be verified, and apply for humanitarian parole so they may re-enter the United States. 

CLINIC’s Defending Vulnerable Populations Program’s Formerly Separated Families Project has advised the Task Force since its inception, advised the government on the development of this program and website, and has successfully reunited six families to date (12 others are in progress).  IOM will carry out assistance to unrepresented families who wish to return, the parole period will last 3 years, and families will be granted employment authorization without payment of a fee and on an expedited basis.  If you are in contact with a family that was separated at the border pursuant to the Zero Tolerance policy, we encourage you to visit together.gov to learn more about the process.

CLINIC’s Formerly Separated Families Project"