Original Date Announced

The DOJ filed a motion in the Central District of California to terminate the Flores Settlement Agreement, which provides protections for migrant children who are detained in government custody after crossing into the United States either alone or with their families. In its motion, the DOJ claims termination is appropriate because of "the promulgation of regulations incorporating the goals of the FSA," as well as the Supreme Court's decision in Garland v. Aleman-Gonzalez.

The first Trump Administration unsuccessfully attempted to terminate the Flores Settlement in 2019. Flores v. Meese, No. 2:85-cv-04544 (C.D. Cal.).

**Link to case here. Our litigation entries generally report only the initial complaint and any major substantive filings or decisions. For additional information, CourtListener provides access to PACER and all available pleadings. Other sites that track litigation in more detail or organize cases by topic include Civil Rights Clearinghouse, Justice Action Center, National Immigration Litigation Alliance, and Just Security**

Trump 2.0 [ID #1771]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.08.15 Order - Flores, et al. v. Bondi

District Judge Dolly Gee denied the Trump administration's request to terminate the Flores Settlement Agreement. The court held that the government is not yet in sufficiently substantial compliance to warrant termination of the agreement, and that there has been no meaningful change in factual conditions or in law since its last motion to terminate. Moreover, although Judge Gee acknowledged that the government has made some improvements in the conditions of confinement, she found that “[t]hese improvements are direct evidence that the FSA is serving its intended purpose, but to suggest that the agreement should be abandoned because some progress has been made is nonsensical.” Flores v. Meese, No. 2:85-cv-04544 (C.D. Cal.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.09 Reported: About 400 immigrant children were detained longer than the recommended limit, ICE admits - AP News

The Associated Press reports that hundreds of immigrant children have been held in federal detention beyond the court-mandated 20-day limit, with some detained for more than five months. Legal advocates say families report contaminated food, delayed medical care, injuries, and limited access to legal counsel, as well as renewed reliance on using hotels to detain families with children for prolonged periods of time. ICE cited transportation, medical, and legal delays as reasons, but attorneys argue these do not justify the extended detention.

The complaints have emerged through court filings ahead of a hearing before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

**Link to case here. See litigation note above. The documents referenced in this entry are available as Docket Entry 1693**