Overview

• The Flores Settlement Agreement, established in 1997, limits the detention of migrant children to 72 hours and requires safe, sanitary conditions in custody.
• The Trump administration has filed a motion arguing the agreement hampers immigration enforcement and incentivizes illegal border crossings.
• This is the administration's second attempt to end Flores, following a failed effort in 2019 that was blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 2020.
• Rights advocates warn that terminating Flores could lead to indefinite detention of children in substandard facilities without oversight or accountability.
• A hearing on the motion is scheduled for July 18 before U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee, who has overseen the agreement since 2015.