The boy was separated from his father 11 months ago during the implementation of the zero-tolerance policy. 

The father was deported but opted to have his child stay in U.S. detention. 

The parents chose a sponsor family to have the boy released to them.  

Due to a new rule, the federal government was opposed to granting them custody. 

On Wednesday, a federal court judge in Brownsville ordered the government to consider the sponsors selected by the parents as possible custodians of the immigrant boy.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement will take the application for sponsorship, without regard of the agency’s rule which requires the child’s parents know the sponsor family prior to entering the country. 

The government will have 15 days to consider releasing the boy from detention and placing him with the sponsor family.