Variety of migrant kids in US custody handed 15,000: report

The number of migrant children in US custody has exceeded 15,000. CBS News reported Saturday.

Records verified by the network showed that the government has approximately 15,500 unaccompanied migrant minors in US custody. Currently, over 5,000 unaccompanied minors are being held in a tent hall that will be operated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other stations along the US-Mexico border from Saturday morning.

Mark Weber, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), confirmed to CBS that HHS places nearly 10,500 unaccompanied minors in state-licensed shelters and shelters.

The news agency reported that unaccompanied migrant children spend an average of 136 hours in CBP custody and exceed the statutory 72-hour limit.

CBS further reported that border officials have met over 500 unaccompanied minors every day for the past 21 days. The number of encounters is expected to exceed the 9,400 minors detained in February.

The report comes as the Biden administration has been criticized for handling large numbers of migrants on the US-Mexico border. The Republicans blamed the wave President BidenJoe BidenRussia, China Tensions mount in the White House After the strong start, new challenges arise for Biden. Feinstein opens the door to support the filibuster reform MOREPostponement from before President TrumpDonald TrumpIllinois House passes a resolution condemning the state representative. Florida Democrats are calling for the election to be held again after the former senator allegedly rigged the race. Biden and Harris discuss MORE about the right to vote with Stacey Abrams in Atlantatough immigration policy.

Refugee advocates and journalists, however, have called for greater transparency into facilities for migrant children in order to review and assess local conditions. No public photos have been taken in the buildings that housed thousands of children during the Biden administration.

However, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed The Hill on Saturday that it will host some migrant families in hotels after signing a $ 80 million contract with nonprofits in Texas to “provide temporary housing and processing services to families “who have not been expelled and are therefore involved in immigration proceedings because of their deportation from the United States. “

An administrative officer said Thursday that 14,000 minors were in federal custody. That number included over 9,500 in the care of HHS and 4,500 of CBP.

Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Alexander MayorkasAlejandro MayorkasMexico takes measures to limit border crossings from Guatemala. The Democratic legislature “repulsed tears” during the Biden team’s visit to the border facility and is considering sending migrants to the Canadian border for processing: REPORT MORE led a non-partisan group by Senators to El Paso, Texas on Friday for a briefing on how to process and protect children.

Regarding the CBS report, CBP told The Hill that daily in-custody numbers are not being given as they are considered “operationally sensitive” as they fluctuate constantly. However, it was suggested that border guards are not meant to be permanent.

The agency said if an unaccompanied minor presents himself at the border, CBP will prioritize them for processing and then coordinate them with HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for housing.

The agency said it was working closely with ORR and that the focus was on moving unaccompanied minors as quickly as possible.

The Hill approached HHS for comment.