Senators Michael Bennet and Catherine Cortez Masto alongside 16 other senators are commending a memorandum issued by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Director David Neal, which stated “The immigration judge should take care to explain the oath to the child at a level appropriate to the age of the child. For example, a child may be told they should promise to ‘tell the truth’ or to ‘tell what really happened.’ A child should also be reassured that they may say ‘I don’t know’ if they are unsure how to answer a question and that they may request a question be asked a different way if they do not understand it. A child should be told they should not feel at fault if an attorney raises an objection to a question,”.
In a letter sent by the senators led by Bennet and Cortez Masto, they ask the appropriators to include specific language in the fiscal 2025 Committee report, commending the EOIR for Neal’s memorandum and directing the Department of Justice to submit a report explaining its implementation.
In November, Bennet introduced a bipartisan bill that would establish separate children’s court within the EOIR, with the court officials and judges being specialized in processing children’s cases. Neal’s memorandum had stated this saying that immigration courts should have separate docket for respondents younger than 21.
These new changes should help children have an easier time in courts and be able to have a better understanding of their situation and how to go about it. This should help them have easier chances of getting Green Cards, Work Permits, and Citizenship.
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