The Biden administration is in discussions with lawyers representing migrant families about the possibility of payment after children were separated from their parents during a controversial Trump-era policy.

During the Trump Administration, immigration took a front-row seat as Trump vowed to close the border in an effort to stop illegal immigration. In 2018 Trump enacted his Zero Tolerance Initiative that sought to criminally prosecute illegal immigrants entering the country. Along with a pilot program in 2019, the two Trump policies resulted in thousands of children being separated from their parents.

After the Biden administration took over the White House, they set up the Family Reunification Task Force to reunite the separated families. The task force identifies that 3,913 children were separated from their families at or around the southern border’s port of entry during Trump’s presidency. However, the American Civil Liberties Union identifies in court filings that the true number is closer to 5,200. The task force has since been able to bring 50 families back together, though over 2,000 are still separated.

Many of the children were housed in cage-like detention centers in McAllen, Texas. At the time, Nobel laureate organization Physicians for Human Rights called the practice “torture,” and the American Academy of Pediatrics described the practice as “government-sanctioned child abuse.”

To right the wrongs done by the previous administration, the Justice Department is reported to be in discussion with lawyers representing families separated at the border about possible repayment for the suffering they endured.

A Wall Street Journal report unveiled the negotiations in late October. In the report, several sources familiar with the matter explain that impacted family members could receive up to $450,000 in payments. According to the WSJ, the payments would help "to resolve lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who say the government subjected them to lasting psychological trauma."

Lee Gelernt is the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s immigrant rights project and a lead negotiator representing the families. Gelernt explains, “There is no question that the Biden administration is doing the right thing by providing meaningful monetary compensation, given that the U.S. government deliberately brutalized these families, including babies and toddlers.” Gelernt adds, “But ultimately, the Biden administration will be judged on whether it provides a pathway for these families to remain in the United States, to allow them to once and for all try to put this trauma behind them.”

Republicans have been quick to slam the possibility of paying migrants. Many tweeted their harsh criticisms of the reported negotiations.

Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack called the plan “insanity,” tweeting, “Rewarding illegal immigrants with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars is the ULTIMATE insult to law-abiding citizens.”

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy echoed Womack’s criticism. McCarthy tweeted “Pure insanity. The Biden administration is reportedly looking to pay $450,000 to illegal immigrants who knowingly broke the law. It’s a slap in the face to our law-abiding citizens who wake up, go to work, and pay their taxes.”

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham also voiced his shock. “I just about fell out of my chair when I read this,” Graham explains. “For the sake of our country, I hope this reporting is in error. This would be an OUTRAGE.”

Former Vice President Mike Pence also shared on “Fox and Friends” last Friday his criticisms of Biden's handling of the border. “It’s remarkable to think that under our administration, we built 400 miles of border wall and literally by implementing what was known as the Remain in Mexico policy, we reduced illegal immigration by 90%,” Pence explains. “But the reality is that they’ve unleashed the worst border crisis in more than 30 years.”