U.S. Customs and Border Protection has not consistently overseen health screening policies at its southwest border facilities, meaning some migrant children did not receive health screenings as intended, a Government Accountability Office report found.
The report, which was prompted by the deaths of three children in CBP custody in 2019, also determined the agency misused funds earmarked for medical care by spending the money on things like its canine program, printers and speakers, and motorcycles and dirt bikes (some officials reportedly believed they could use the funds for any goods or services they considered to be in the best interest of those in custody.) Further, the investigation reveals the CBP "does not have reliable information on deaths, serious injuries, and suicide attempts and has not consistently reported deaths of individuals in custody to Congress."
The GAO attributes the misuse of funds to a lack of guidance and oversight, while the data shortcomings are a result of several factors, including that the agency's automated reporting doesn't have categories specific to serious injuries or suicide attempts, instead grouping them together with less serious incidents. Read a breakdown of the report here.
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