WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — The United States could pay for transportation, healthcare, legal services, and career and educational services for migrants separated under former President Donald Trump’s “zero-tolerance” border strategy, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Monday.
“We are operating under a broken immigration system and we need to fix it,” said DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at a White House press briefing Monday.
The announcement is part of a list of principles released by the administration of President Joe Biden to guide its family reunification task force as the administration seeks to reunite more than 500 migrant children and parents separated by his predecessor’s border policy.
The Biden administration will also consider bringing deported parents back to the United States to be reunited with their children, an option outlined in Biden’s Feb. 2 executive order creating the family reunification task force. They could also be reunited in their country of origin.
“I’m not making new law. I’m eliminating bad policy,” Biden said during the signing ceremony last month.
“We are dedicating our resources throughout the Department of Homeland Security and the federal government, and bringing our full weight to bear, to reunite children who were cruelly separated from their parents,” Mayorkas said in a written statement.
“We will dig out of the cruelty of the past administration and we will rebuild our nation’s asylum system.”
His comments came hours before President Biden was set to virtually meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador where migration was expected to be discussed.
England’s Luke Shaw takes a shot during the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Paul Ellis/Pool via AP) 
England’s Luke Shaw, left, celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the Euro 2020 final soccer match between Italy and England at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Facundo Arrizabalaga/Pool via AP) 
An England supporter waves a flag near Trafalgar Square in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021, during the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy which is being played at Wembley Stadium. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison) 
Fans watch on a giant screen in Rome, Sunday, July 11, 2021, the Euro 2020 soccer championships’ final match between Italy and England played at Wembley stadium in London. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) 
Italy’s Leonardo Bonucci, right, scores his side’s opening goal during the Euro 2020 final soccer match between Italy and England at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Facundo Arrizabalaga/Pool via AP) 
Italy’s Leonardo Bonucci celebrates after he scored his side’s first goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship final between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein, Pool) 
England’s Marcus Rashford reacts after missed a penalty shot during the penalty shootout during the Euro 2020 soccer final match between England and Italy at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Andy Rain/Pool Photo via AP) 
Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma makes a save against England’s Jadon Sancho during penalty shootout of the Euro 2020 soccer championship final match between England and Italy at Wembley Stadium in London, Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Paul Ellis/Pool via AP)