KTLA

San Diego County Supervisors Plan to Sue Trump Admin Over Releases of Asylum-Seeking Families

A group of Central American migrants -traveling in a caravan- cross the Mexico-US border fence to San Diego County, from Tijuana, on Dec. 16, 2018. (Credit: Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images)

San Diego County supervisors say they plan to sue the Trump administration over the widespread releases of asylum-seeking families.

Two supervisors said the board voted in closed session Tuesday to challenge the administration’s handling of the families. They didn’t elaborate on grounds for the lawsuit or when it would be filed.

Since late October, the U.S. has been releasing asylum-seeking families so quickly that they don’t even have time to make travel arrangements, merely giving them notices to appear in immigration court.

The families often end up in shelters run by charities, straining the resources of border towns.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack says the agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation. Previously, the agency has said it has limited authority to detain families, referring to a 20-day cap on holding children.

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