For five months, a young father waited to be reunited with his three-year-old daughter after she was placed in federal custody upon crossing the US-Mexico border with her mother, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
It was only after turning to the courts that he learned his daughter had allegedly been sexually abused in foster care, where she was placed after being separated from her mother.
“She was so long in there… if they would have moved faster, nothing like that would have happened,” the father told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Alleged abuse during prolonged detention
According to court documents cited by the news outlet, the child was placed in foster care in Harlingen, Texas, where she said she was abused by an older child.
A caregiver reportedly noticed signs of abuse, after which the girl disclosed multiple instances that caused bleeding. However, officials from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) informed the father only of an “accident,” without further details, the outlet reported.
“I asked them what happened… but they said they couldn’t give more information,” the father said.
Details emerge through legal action
The full extent of the allegations surfaced only after attorneys prepared a habeas corpus petition seeking the child’s release, AP reported.
The girl underwent a forensic examination and interview, and the accused child was removed from the foster program. The abuse allegations were also reported to local law enforcement, according to the child’s lawyer, Lauren Fisher Flores.
“To have your child abused while in the government’s care… is unimaginable,” Fisher Flores told the outlet.
Policy changes under Trump administration
The case comes amid stricter immigration policies introduced under Donald Trump, which have significantly increased detention times for migrant children, the news outlet reported.
The child and her mother crossed the border near El Paso on September 16 last year. After her mother was charged, the toddler was separated and placed under ORR custody.
New rules expanded documentation requirements for sponsors, while immigration authorities increased enforcement actions, including arrests during the release process, AP reported.
Detention times surge sharply
Data cited by AP shows average custody time for children rose from 37 days in January 2025 to nearly 200 days by February.
Although the number of children in custody has dropped, advocates warn that longer detention periods have increased risks to child safety and well-being.
Legal challenges to these policies have been filed, with concerns that prolonged detention could expose children to harm.
Courts increasingly used for reunification
Attorneys are now turning to habeas corpus petitions to expedite the release of children, the outlet reported.
Fisher Flores said her organisation has handled multiple such cases this year, with children held for an average of 225 days—something not seen before under previous administrations.
In this case, legal pressure forced action. After attorneys filed the petition, the girl was released to her father within two days.
Emotional reunion, lasting trauma
The father described an emotional reunion with his daughter after months apart.
However, he soon noticed behavioral changes, including nightmares and distress.
“She was never like that,” he said.
The child now lives with her father and grandparents in Chicago, while her immigration case continues in court.
