Hundreds Of Immigrants Released From Texas Detention Centers

CHICAGO, Dec 7 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Dec, 2016 ) - Hundreds of female and underage immigrants were released from detention centers in Texas after a state judge ruled that such sites could not legally house children, an immigrant advocacy group said Tuesday.

The 470 detainees were being held at two privately-run detention centers, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which confirmed their release. Asylum-seeking immigrants are routinely released after their cases are initially processed, but the weekend's release was unusually high, according to the San Antonio-based group Refugee and Immigrant Center for education and Legal Services (RAICES).

At least four times more people were released than usual, said RAICES policy director Amy Fischer. "We're in the process of moving them out, getting them on flights and buses," Fischer said. The release came after a Friday ruling by Travis County District Court Judge Karin Crump that the detention sites could not be considered child care providers.

In a statement, ICE said that the releases were "scheduled as a part of normal operations and not in response to the court ruling," and that it is reviewing the judge's decision. The agency did not respond to AFP's request for comment on the size of the release.