A federal judge has extended a freeze on deporting families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border, giving a reprieve to hundreds of children and their parents to remain in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw said in his order Thursday that "hasty" deportation of children after reunification with parents would deprive them of their right to seek asylum.
The American Civil Liberties Union had requested families be given at least a week. The judge's order did not specify a date for when the reprieve would end.
The government opposed the move, saying parents waived children's right to pursue asylum claims after signing deportation forms.
The decision affects many of the more than 2,500 children who were separated from their parents.
The freeze has been in place since July 16.
