Opinion: Trump reverses policy of separating families, but damage has already been done

Even as US President Donald Trump reversed his 'brutal' family separation policy, some of the recently separated children will still never be reunited with their parents.

While signing the executive order that halts detention of children of migrant family groups crossing the US-Mexico border illegally, Trump said he does have a heart and did not like the sight of families being separated, but kept mum on the kids who have already been separated from their families.

The executive order lacks a procedure of reunifying the recently separated children with their families. Parents of some of the detained children have already been deported to their home countries, and others are on the verge of it. Hence, the deported families will now not just face the horrific situations back home, but will also live with the numbing pain of not seeing their children ever again.

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This is indeed the most significant policy reversal by Trump, wherein he surrendered to the massive condemnation on breaking up families. But, even if no more families are separated, it's not clear how agencies will come together to reunite those who already were.

Since May 2018, when the Trump administration adopted a 'zero tolerance' border security policy, over 2000 children have been separated from their parents and detained in various shelters.

Images and video footage of wailing children sparked domestic and international outrage. First Lady Melania Trump too had conversations with the President insisting on ending the inhumane separation of families.

Doctors and researchers have warned that forcible separation put these children at elevated risk for mental disorders and can cause a great deal of psychological harm.

Adding another worry, a lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles-based Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law, claims that immigrant children are being forcibly given a range of psychotropic drugs at some of the shelters to manage their trauma. Another study cited government and other reports for accusations of physical and sexual abuse, and violations of standards for children's safety and care at privately run shelters.

Many see the policy reversal as a victory. But, here one brutal policy has been replaced with another, kids will now be kept in adult detention centres, that too for an indefinite period. It still violates rights of children.

The executive order asks the Department of Homeland Security to keep families together while people await trial for illegal border crossing. But it doesn't end the detention of asylum seekers and people fleeing violence.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)