Sarahmirk / Wikimedia Commons

This Friday, the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles will hear arguments about whether to dismantle a decades-old legal framework that protects immigrant children in federal custody.

It's the seventh attempt by the federal government to alter or terminate the framework, called the Flores Settlement Agreement . Since it was established in 1997, every administration - regardless of party - has moved to narrow its scope, weaken protections for immigrant children or eliminate the settlement altogether.

Under the agreement, children are entitled to clean water, outdoor access, basic hygiene products and emergency medical care. They are also entitled to timely release to a qualified sponsor.

But, according to Oakland lawyer Neha Desai, that's not what's bee

See Full Page