Court orders release of 10 migrant minors, 4 mothers from Heliport

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Derek Achong

A High Court Judge has ordered the immediate release of 10 minors and four of their mothers from a migrant detention centre at the Coast Guard’s Heliport in Chaguaramas.

Delivering a decision, this afternoon, High Court Judge Joan Charles ruled that this country’s immigration laws and policies did not provide for the deportation and detention of children.

As the minors had to be released into the custody of relatives, Charles had to also order the release of some of their mothers, who were also detained awaiting deportation.

Guardian Media understands that some of the children, whose parents and relatives are registered migrants, were detained alongside the mothers and their children as they made the journey to Trinidad together and were caught by police in south Trinidad soon after.

The children and women are expected to be released from the location shortly.

Legal sources told Guardian Media that over the past two weeks over a dozen children and parents have been released after bringing similar cases.