The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is defending its expedited plan to reunite separated migrant children with their parents, claiming that its truncated vetting procedures are necessary to comply with court orders.

A spokeswoman for the agency said Saturday that HHS is not undertaking "fuller" vetting procedures because of a court decision requiring the agency to reunite roughly 2,500 migrant children with their parents by July 26.

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"The department has been operating in good faith and earnestly trying to comply with court orders, including the rapidly approaching deadline for reunification," said HHS spokeswoman Evelyn Stauffer. "Our interpretation of the court’s order is that HHS must make a determination of parentage, fitness, and safety before reunifying families, but that HHS need not undertake the fuller process of vetting for children’s safety that HHS would ordinarily conduct in its operations."