A migrant girl of just 3 years old allegedly suffered sexual abuse while in federal custody in the United States, according to a lawsuit that exposes flaws in the child protection system and prolonged delays in her family reunification.

According to information initially reported by the AP, the child spent five months in a foster home after being separated from her mother after crossing the border between Mexico and the United States in September of last year. During that time, her father, a legal permanent resident, unsuccessfully tried to expedite her release. “She was locked up there for a very long time. I think if they had acted more quickly, none of this would have happened,” said the father, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the girl’s identity. According to court documents, the girl reported being sexually abused by an older child at the foster home where she was staying in Harlingen, Texas. A caregiver noticed warning signs and, after noticing that the girl was wearing her underwear inside out, the girl recounted repeated assaults that even caused her to bleed. However, the father claims that the authorities initially downplayed what happened. “I asked them, ‘What happened? I want to know. I’m her father,’ and they simply told me they couldn’t give me any more information,” he recounted. The case was turned over to local police, and the minor underwent a forensic examination, while the alleged abuser was removed from the program, according to the lawsuit. This incident occurs within the context of changes in immigration policies implemented during the Donald Trump administration, which tightened the requirements for the release of migrant children and extended detention periods. Data cited in the lawsuit indicates that the average length of time children remain in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement increased from 37 days to nearly 200 days in just over a year.Advocacy organizations have warned that these delays increase the risks for minors. “That a child could be a victim of abuse while under government guardianship… is unimaginable,” stated attorney Lauren Fisher Flores, the minor's legal representative. Neha Desai, from the National Center for Youth Law, noted that these practices “represent yet another form of family separation” and accused the government of failing in its obligation to quickly reunite children with their families.