U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week stoked the immigration debate in announcing officials will impose a "zero tolerance" policy and prosecute anyone entering the country illegally.
Those referred for prosecution who have their children with them will be separated from their kids, federal officials said.
The Trump administration plan raises several questions about the impact on the detained children. Here's what we know:
What does the 'zero tolerance' policy mean for children who are crossing the border with their parents?
If parents are referred for prosecution and detained by immigration officials, their children will be placed in a shelter, just as a minor traveling alone who crosses the border would be. These shelters are run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The “zero tolerance” policy is intended to apply specifically to people who are caught crossing illegally, say U.S. Homeland Security officials. Families who present themselves at a port of entry seeking asylum won’t be separated or prosecuted. However, asylum-seekers in recent months have been separated from their children, so there have been exceptions to the rule.
Once the children are in the custody of federal officials, where do they go?
The children would be placed in one of several shelters maintained by ORR located around the country. On its website, Health and Human Services says the shelters are operated by nonprofit organizations, with about half caring for fewer than 50 unaccompanied children.
ORR pays for and provides all services for the children while they are in care at a shelter. This includes providing food, clothing, education, medical screening, and any needed medical care to the children. Children spend fewer than 35 days on average at the shelters and do not integrate into the local community. They remain under staff supervision at all times.
Children stay at the shelters until they can be placed in the care of U.S. relatives or other adult sponsors, such as family friends.