US seeks to accelerate deportations of migrant children in custody, CNN reports

April 28 (Reuters) – The U.S. administration is bringing forward immigration hearings for deportations of migrant children in custody by weeks or even months in a bid to accelerate the process, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing administration officials and lawyers for the children.

The report said children as young as four had to repeatedly appear in court and provide updates on the status of their case, at times without legal help, within a matter of weeks.

Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, told CNN many of the children were at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and some were brought over the border by cartels.

“Moving cases forward helps disrupt those networks and ensures children are returned to safe environments as quickly as possible,” Nixon said in a statement.

(Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona; Editing by Andrew Heavens)