A report from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) internal watchdog undercuts claims that unaccompanied immigrant children (UAC) were held in sub-par conditions at government facilities after being separated from their parents at the southern border.
Investigators with DHS’s Office of the Inspector General found facilities they inspected were in compliance with federal guidelines implemented in 2015.
“With the exception of inconsistent cleanliness of the hold rooms, we observed that unaccompanied alien children had access to toilets and sinks, drinking water, beverages (including milk and juice drinks), as well as snacks and food,” reads a report released Tuesday.
“Unaccompanied alien children had access to hygiene items and clean bedding at all facilities we visited. We did not encounter issues with temperatures or ventilation, access to emergency medical care, inadequate supervision, or access to telephones.”
The surprise inspections were conducted in response to intense public and congressional scrutiny over DHS’s policies forcing separation of parents from children apprehended at the southern border. Media outlets and lawmakers raised concerns about UACs’ living conditions following the Trump administration’s implementation April 6 of a zero-tolerance policy regarding the apprehension of illegal border crossers.
Because minors cannot be held in custody with adults, children were placed in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities after their guardians were referred for criminal prosecution. The result was a spike in the number of UAC held in custody. (RELATED: Here Is What’s Driving The Increase In Unaccompanied Minor Bedding)
Investigators looked at five facilities in the McAllen and Rio Grande Valley between June 26 and 28. The locations were chosen because those regions have more apprehensions than others along the southern border.
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