US seeks to accelerate deportations of migrant children in custody, CNN reports

The US administration is bringing forward immigration hearings for deportations of migrant children in ‌custody by weeks or even months in a bid to accelerate the process, CNN ​reported on Tuesday, citing administration officials and lawyers for the children.

The report said children as young as four had to repeatedly appear in court and ​provide updates on the status of their case, at times without legal help, ⁠within a matter of weeks.

Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the ‌US Department ‌of ​Health and Human Services, said in a statement to Reuters that many of the children were ⁠at risk of trafficking ​and exploitation, and some were brought ​over the border by cartels under dangerous and coercive conditions.

“Moving cases ‌forward helps disrupt those networks ​and ensures children are returned to safe environments as quickly ⁠as possible,” Nixon said in ⁠a statement.

“The ​administration is working to disrupt cartel plots and humanely return trafficked children to their homes and families as expeditiously as possible,” a White House official said.

The Trump administration has embarked on a suite of initiatives, including measures to track down hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children, cut ‌legal aid for unaccompanied ⁠children in immigration proceedings and issue directives to restrict birthright citizenship, among others.

Trump’s policies toward immigration have been ‌among the most contentious aspects of both his terms as president, with ​critics accusing him of racial and religious discrimination ​in his approach.