Presidential Documents
Executive Order 14011 of February 2, 2021
Establishment of Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to reunite children separated from their families at the United States-Mexico border, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration to respect and value the integrity of families seeking to enter the United States. My Administration condemns the human tragedy that occurred when our immigration laws were used to intentionally separate children from their parents or legal guardians (families), including through the use of the Zero-Tolerance Policy. My Administration will protect family unity and ensure that children entering the United States are not separated from their families, except in the most extreme circumstances where a separation is clearly necessary for the safety and well-being of the child or is required by law.
Sec. 2. Establishment. There is hereby established an Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families (Task Force).
Sec. 3. Membership. (a) The Task Force shall include the following members or their designees:
- the Secretary of Homeland Security, who shall serve as Chair;
- the Secretary of State, who shall serve as a Vice Chair;
- the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who shall serve as a Vice Chair;
- the Attorney General;
- such other officers or employees of the Departments of State, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, as the head of each respective department may designate; and
- such other officers or employees of executive departments and agencies (agencies) as the Chair or Vice Chairs may invite to participate, with the concurrence of the head of the agency concerned.
(b) The Chair shall convene and preside at meetings of the Task Force. The Chair, in consultation with the Vice Chairs, shall direct its work and, as appropriate, establish and direct subgroups of the Task Force.
Sec. 4. Functions. The Task Force shall, consistent with applicable law, perform the following functions:
(a) Identifying all children who were separated from their families at the United States-Mexico border between January 20, 2017, and January 20, 2021, in connection with the operation of the Zero-Tolerance Policy;
(b) To the greatest extent possible, facilitating and enabling the reunification of each of the identified children with their families by:
- providing recommendations to heads of agencies concerning the exercise of any agency authorities necessary to reunite the children with their families, including:
- recommendations regarding the possible exercise of parole under section 212(d)(5)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A)), or the issuance of visas or other immigration benefits, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law;
