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Government officials have said minors shouldn't be housed with adults in criminal holding facilities and that such a policy also should deter border crossings, even from those seeking asylum. There's a limit on how long children can be held before being transferred to a licensed family facility. More generally, the government is supposed to house minors in the least restrictive way possible.

\"From a law enforcement perspective, this zero-tolerance approach makes little sense,\" said John Cohen, an ABC News consultant and former acting Homeland Security undersecretary. \"The majority of those detained are non-violent individuals or families who have committed what amounts to a misdemeanor. Incarcerating these individuals, as opposed to issuing a notice to appear, is resource intensive, and as a result vital law enforcement resources and attention are being diverted from dealing with more serious border security issues.\"

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