What Is the Flores Settlement Agreement

The Flores Settlement Agreement (FSA) is a landmark legal settlement reached in 1997 between the US government and a group of immigrant rights advocates. The agreement established certain standards for the treatment of children in immigration detention, including the requirement that children be released from detention as quickly as possible, and that they be held in facilities that meet certain minimum standards of care.

The FSA was named after Jenny Lisette Flores, a 15-year-old girl from El Salvador who was detained by US immigration authorities in the 1980s. Flores, along with other children who had been detained by the government, filed a class-action lawsuit against the US government, alleging that the conditions in which they were being held violated their basic rights.

The settlement agreement that was ultimately reached in the case established a number of important protections for children in immigration detention. Among these are the requirement that children be released from detention as quickly as possible, unless they pose a danger to themselves or others, or are a flight risk. Additionally, the FSA requires that children be held in facilities that meet certain minimum standards of care, including adequate access to medical care, education, recreation, and legal representation.

Over the years, the FSA has been the subject of numerous legal challenges and interpretations. In particular, there has been ongoing debate over the extent to which the agreement applies to children who cross the US-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian.

Despite these challenges, the FSA remains an important legal framework for protecting the rights of children in immigration detention. It serves as a reminder of the need to ensure that all people, regardless of their immigration status, are treated with dignity and respect under the law.