Deadline Approaches For Reunification Of Immigrant Children With Families

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A court-ordered deadline to reunite thousands of children separated from their parents at the U.S./Mexico border is hours away.

It is expected that nearly 1,000 still won't be reunited with their families Thursday.

CBS 2's Vince Gerasole learned some of the children are in Chicago.

Two Brazilian boys were reunited with their mothers weeks ago in Chicago, but not all have been as lucky.

The non-profit Heartland Alliance, which housed the boys, reports that since early May, they have received 73 children. By Thursday morning, 65 had been reunited with their families, but the rest remain in limbo as the federal government works to locate their families – some of who may have already been deported without their children.

"It's a logistical nightmare that's involving families, young children, babies, and toddlers," said Betsy Plum from the New York Immigration Coalition.

Emotional scenes played out nationwide Thursday as children were reunited with their parents following weeks of uncertainty.

A woman in Albuquerque did not know where her son was being taken when she last saw him two months ago.

She is just one of the 1,200 families who have been brought back together after a federal court order.

More than 2,500 hundred children were initially separated by immigration and customs enforcement agents as they attempted to illegally cross the Mexican border or seek asylum in the United States.

Thursday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the Trump Administration's tough stance on immigration.

"You do not get to come to America unlawfully. Let's just make that clear. This system is built on making an application and waiting your turn," Sessions stated.

Though children and families may be reunited, they may still face deportation when they eventually plead their case before a judge.