Eleven senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), signed a letter asking the agencies responsible for reunifying families for weekly updates. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo 11 senators demand an update on separated kids

A group of mostly Democratic lawmakers on Monday asked for information about the 2,300 migrant children separated from their families under the Trump administration’s since-halted immigration policy.

Eleven senators, including Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, signed the letter asking the agencies responsible for reuniting families for weekly updates until every separated child is back with their parents. The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services are tasked with reuniting families separated because of the controversial immigration policy.


“We are deeply concerned by reports of chaotic attempts to reunify parents and children that have been separated at the border,” the letter says. “The hastily-signed order provided no clarity on how to reunify families, or how to handle families that have already been separated or new families that cross the border seeking asylum.”

The letter is addressed to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. It also was signed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Bob Casey, Tammy Duckworth, Mazie Hirono, Ed Markey, Tina Smith and Bill Nelson.

The letter demands the agencies provide lawmakers with a list of separated children, a list of their parents and other adult family members, and a third list that links the two. Additionally, the lawmakers want a “detailed briefing” explaining how the agencies are working to reunite the families. Lawmakers stipulated the response should not include names or other identifying information in an effort to protect migrants.

“We are concerned that even as the Administration works to reunify families, it continues to deport adults and family members who had children taken from them — reducing their chances of reunification even further,” the letter said.