The Flores agreement has protected migrant children for nearly 3 decades. Changes may be coming

By REBECCA SANTANA and ACACIA CORONADO
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration wants to partially end a 27-year-old agreement that provides court oversight of how the federal government cares for migrant children in its custody. The request to a U.S. district judge comes weeks after the Health and Human Services Department published its own rule on safeguards, effective July 1. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra says they will set “clear standards for the care and treatment of unaccompanied (migrant) children.” Children’s advocates say what is known as the Flores agreement has been instrumental in guaranteeing safe conditions for children. That’s especially been the case amid rising border detentions over the past two years that included nearly 300,000 unaccompanied minors.