Article snippet: A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to implement regulations that would allow immigration officials to indefinitely detain migrant children and their parents. Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles ruled that the administration will not be allowed to enforce new rules that would end the Flores Agreement, a decades-old court settlement that says migrant children cannot be held more than 20 days. Gee, who was appointed by former President Obama, said the administration’s rule would violate the very agreement it is attempting to overturn. “The Flores Settlement Agreement remains in effect and has not been terminated,” she wrote. The Justice Department is expected to appeal. The White House blasted the decision in a late-night statement Friday, saying it prevented the administration from keeping families together during immigration proceedings. "That ruling perpetuates the loophole that this same judge created, which has been exploited by criminal cartels to smuggle children across the United States Southern Border – often resulting in their physical and sexual abuse," Press Secretary MORE said. Under the rules announced last month by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services, immigrant families could be held for the duration of their court proceedings, which officials argue could be resolved within three months. The administration’s policy would establish new standards for conditions in deten... Link to the full article to read more