Judge Partially Ends Oversight of Migrant Child Detention

Federal ruling supports new HHS rules, ending key aspects of the 1997 Flores settlement.

The Flores settlement had set minimum standards for housing unaccompanied migrant children since 1997.
New HHS rules, effective Monday, aim to replace court oversight with updated protections.
Judge Dolly Gee ruled the Flores agreement unworkable due to states like Texas and Florida halting licensing of migrant childcare programs.
Advocates argue the new rules lack sufficient independent monitoring and abuse reporting mechanisms.
The court retains the ability to reconsider the ruling based on future developments.