The Keep Families Together Act would restrict the government's ability to separate children from their parents at or near the U.S. border. Currently, federal agents can only separate families in limited circumstances: when a state court orders it, when a state child welfare agency determines separation is in the child's best interest due to abuse or neglect, or when a high-ranking border official authorizes it based on a finding that the child is trafficking victim, not actually related to the adult, or in danger. The bill explicitly prohibits separating families solely to deter migration or enforce immigration laws. The legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Health and Human Services to develop training for border agents within 180 days, establish procedures for parents to locate separated children within 180 days, and provide separated families with monthly updates on their children's status, education, and health. The bill also mandates annual reports to Congress documenting every family separation and requires the Government Accountability Office to study the prosecution of asylum seekers from 2014 to 2023, including how many were separated from their children.
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