Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, last week called the Flores settlement a key gap in our immigration framework, arguing that the rule change closes a legal loophole effectively incentivizing illegal entry.

The rule change, set to go into effect in about 60 days, would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain families indefinitely after transferring them from border custody.

Yet again, President Trump is disregarding basic human rights and using helpless immigrant children as political pawns to further his ideological agenda, Newsom said in a statement on Monday. California will emphatically assert itself to protect the welfare and safety of all children, regardless of where they come from or the color of their skin.

Becerra noted that some children in Border Patrol custody have been detained without sufficient food, health or medical care and deprived of basic sanitary goods like soap and toothbrushes, echoing disturbing reports of the inhumane conditions at many border facilities .

Children dont become subhuman simply because they are migrants, the attorney general said.

Newsom addressed the fact that a number of undocumented immigrants, including children, have died while in the custody of immigration officials, calling the administrations actions perverse and unconscionable.

Becerra also announced California was filing a preliminary injunction to stop Trump administrations public charge rule , a policy that will likely make it much harder for immigrants to apply for a green card or earn a visa.