From the Senate Judiciary Committee, here:
As a matter of procedure and policy, border agents routinely separate family members, including intentionally, as punishment—or “consequences”—through what DHS calls its Consequence Delivery System (CDS). These consequences are meant to deter future migration, often regardless of international protection or other humanitarian concerns. The CDS has been implemented systematically since 2005. ... [M]any parents and children arriving at the border and seeking asylum are subject to CDS to punish them for their flight to the United States. Deterring future migration is prioritized over concern for protection, access to justice, and family unity.
