Migrant children are being detained longer, fewer in NYC are being released under Trump

Date: May 5, 2026

Migrant children crossing the U.S. border alone are now being held in federal custody nearly 4x longer under the Trump administration, according to a Gothamist analysis. Far fewer detained children in NYC are being released.

Stricter verification rules are delaying reunification—prolonging family separation, traumatizing families, and putting undocumented parents at greater risk of deportation.

Learn more in the full article featuring members of CFR’s immigration team.

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