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Six children detained in shelters for months despite available parents, families use habeas corpus

Mar 2026 · NY

Six children detained in shelters for months despite available parents, families use habeas corpus

Maykel and his five cousins were detained in shelter facilities for four months after trekking hundreds of miles to reunite with their mother Maria. Under Trump administration rules, the children remained in detention despite their parent being available to care for them. Families across New York and the country are using habeas corpus petitions as a legal tool to challenge prolonged detentions of unaccompanied minors.

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