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US reverses policy on migrant children's sponsors

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is reversing a policy that required fingerprinting for all adults living in a household where a migrant child would live.

Parents and other sponsors have said the fingerprinting rule had slowed placement of children in homes, in part because some members of the household were afraid to be fingerprinted. The information is shared with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the agency has arrested more 150 people since information sharing began in June.

According to a memo provided to The Associated Press, adults no longer require fingerprinting unless there is a documented risk to the child, the child is especially vulnerable or a public records check shows the sponsors can be potentially disqualified.

There are more than 14,000 migrant children designated as unaccompanied minors in government-run shelters.

Colleen Long, The Associated Press