The U.S. government has reportedly been using off-the-book shelters to detain unaccompanied immigrant children
The Office of Refugee Resettlement is reportedly holding several unaccompanied minors in off-the-book shelters throughout the United States, an investigation by Reveal found.
The total number of sites is unknown, but Reveal reports that there are at least five such shelters in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. They are holding at least 16 boys and girls after they were transferred from known refugee shelters. The shelters reportedly specialize in caring for children with mental health and behavior challenges.
The federal government has not made the existence of the shelters public "or even disclosed them to the minors' own attorneys in a landmark class action case," writes Reveal.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Holly Cooper, an attorney who represents the class of unaccompanied minors in the agency's care, said the government did not report every minor's location and believes the ORR continues to withhold information about other locations.
The ORR's standards do allow for out-of-network transfers if the federal facilities cannot provide specialized services. But failing to provide both attorneys for the detained children and a detailed census of the minors in custody appears to violate "longstanding rules for the care of immigrant children," such as the Flores Agreement. Former ORR Director Robert Carey said there was no such arrangement for migrant children in 2015 and 2016, as far as he knew.
The ORR has not yet commented on Reveal's report, though the office did acknowledge the request. Read the full report at Reveal.
-
All roads to Ukraine-Russia peace run through DonetskIN THE SPOTLIGHT Volodymyr Zelenskyy is floating a major concession on one of the thorniest issues in the complex negotiations between Ukraine and Russia
-
Why is Trump killing off clean energy?Today's Big Question President halts offshore wind farm construction
-
8 restaurants that are exactly what you need this winterThe Week Recommends Old standards and exciting newcomers alike
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
