Report: Hundreds of migrant kids are being held in Border Patrol stations
As of Sunday, more than 700 unaccompanied minors who crossed into the United States from Mexico were in Border Patrol custody, Axios reports.
The children were waiting to be sent to shelters that are overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services. Migrant kids are not supposed to be held in Border Patrol stations for more than 72 hours. An internal Customs and Border Protection document obtained by Axios states that as of 8:15 a.m. on Sunday, nine of the unaccompanied minors had been detained for longer than 72 hours, and more than 200 had been there for over 48 hours.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday said some children were held at Border Patrol facilities for four or five days because of the brutal winter storm that hit Texas last week, leaving several shelters without power. For unaccompanied minors, "we have a couple of options," Psaki said. "We can send them back home ... we can quickly transfer them from [Customs and Border Protection] to these [Health and Human Services-run] facilities ... we can put them with families and sponsors without any vetting. We've chosen the middle option."
Subscribe to 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.
In January, more than 5,700 unaccompanied minors were apprehended crossing the southern border. Border crossings usually peak in the spring, and while the U.S. has 13,200 beds for migrant kids, only half can be used due to social distancing measures. Now, there are more than 7,000 migrant children in U.S custody, and this week the Biden administration reopened an emergency facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas, to hold some of the kids.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
'Election Day. Finally.'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Incendiary device plot: Russia's 'rehearsals' for attacks on transatlantic flights
The Explainer Security officials warn of widespread Moscow-backed 'sabotage campaign' in retaliation for continued Western support for Ukraine
By The Week UK Published
-
Outer Hebrides: a top travel destination
The Week Recommends Discover 'unspoiled beauty' of the Western Isles
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Moldova's pro-West president wins 2nd term
Speed Read Maia Sandu beat Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite suspicions of Russia meddling in the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
2024 race ends with swing state barnstorming
Speed Read Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held rallies in battlegrounds over the weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
North Korea tests ICBM, readies troops in Ukraine
Speed Read Thousands of North Korean troops are likely to join Russian action against Ukraine
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Women take center stage in campaign finale
Speed Read Harris and Trump are trading gender attacks in the final days before the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: who the billionaires are backing
The Explainer More have endorsed Kamala Harris than Donald Trump, but among the 'ultra-rich' the split is more even
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published