Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Trump administration is struggling to meet several court-ordered deadlines to reunite more than 2,000 migrant children with their parents.
What's happening: The administration was two days late in providing a complete list of the 102 children under the age of five being held by the Department of Health and Human Services. And today, a Justice Department lawyer told a federal judge that just 54 of those children are scheduled to be returned to their parents on Tuesday, per NBC News' Julia Ainsley, despite that being the original reunification deadline for all 102 children.
How we got here: Last month, the ACLU won a preliminary injunction requiring the reunification of children under five by July 9, and all children by July 26. Judge Dana Sabraw rejected a last-minute government request to extend the deadline on Saturday, forcing HHS into a logistical debacle of its own making.
The big picture: HHS Secretary Alex Azar has refused to give an exact figure for how many migrant children are currently separated from their families, but he told reporters last Thursday that the total was "fewer than 3,000." Azar said HHS was focused on vetting parents to ensure that it would be safe to hand over a child, and that it is unrealistic to expect every case to be resolved in such a short time.
Be smart: As Vox's Dara Lind points out, a fact sheet sent to reporters on June 23 claimed that HHS has "a process established to ensure that family members know the location of their children and have regular communication after separation.” The pace of reunification thus far has suggested that the process is not nearly as clear as originally advertised.
What's next: The ACLU and the Trump administration will be back in court tomorrow at 1 p.m. EST to "discuss next steps." Judge Dana Sabraw has asked government attorneys to provide a timeline for reuniting the remaining children, reports Ainsley.