Federal judge in LA ruled that children being held in the ICE detention centers must be released. The judge ruled the children must be released by July 17th. This new ruling applies to children that have been held in the detention centers for over 20 days. 

According to the ruling, there are 124 children living in the centers as of June 8th. Judge Dolly M. Gee of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California stated the children are at risk of covid 19 and releasing them will help prevent the spreading of the virus. This is the first order to give a firm deadline for release. The order does not apply to the parents detained with their children. It’s not yet clear who the children will be released to if their parents remain detained.

“The family residential centers are on fire and there is no more time for half measures,” she wrote.