HOUSTON (AP) — With its long-term facilities for immigrant children nearly full, the Biden administration is working to expedite the release of children to their relatives in the United States. U.S. Health and Human Services on Wednesday authorized operators of long-term facilities to pay for some of the children’s flights and transportation to the homes of their sponsors. Under HHS’ current guidelines, sponsors can be charged for those flights and required to pay before the government will release children. Those costs can sometimes exceed $1,000 per child. An internal memo sent Wednesday authorizes facility operators to use government funding for transportation fees if a sponsor can’t afford the commercial airfare.
