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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 8 July 2019

DHS official defends conditions at Border Patrol stations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Act- ried about the situation of
ing Homeland Security Sec- children detained at the
retary Kevin McAleenan on border. He said that on
Sunday defended condi- June 1, his department had
tions at U.S. Border Patrol 2,500 children in custody,
stations following reports including 1,200 who had
of crowded and unsani- been there for more than
tary conditions that have three days. As of Satur-
heightened debate about day, McAleenan said there
President Donald Trump’s were 350 children, and
immigration policy, a trade- only 20 have been in the
mark issue for his reelection department’s custody for
campaign. more than three days.
“It’s an extraordinarily chal- “So that’s huge improve-
lenging situation,” McA- ment based on the re-
leenan told ABC’s “This sources we asked for from
Week.” The Homeland Se- Congress and were finally
curity Department’s internal given,” he said.
watchdog provided new Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.,
details Tuesday about the told NBC’s “Meet the Press”
overcrowding in Texas’ Rio that he is stunned when
Grande Valley, the busiest Heidi Turpin, left, dressed as President Donald Trump, holds up a sign next to her husband, Jim, administration officials say
corridor for illegal crossings. during a protest against detaining migrant children, Thursday, July 4, 2019, in Austin, Texas. that reports on the condi-
The report said children at Associated Press tions are unsubstantiated.
three facilities had no ac- response, accusing the ings humanely. We have as in El Paso to provide ad- “I’m just like, ‘What world
cess to showers and that news media of “phony and the ability to lead our ditional space. ... We’ve are they living in?’” Merk-
some children under age 7 exaggerated accounts” hemisphere in a discussion bought buses to transport ley said, citing government
had been held in jammed but without providing evi- about how to deal with this people to better places.” and news reports. “From
centers for more than two dence. refugee crisis,” he said on McAleenan disputed news every direction you see
weeks. Some cells were so “Border Patrol, and others “Fox News Sunday.” reports, including those by that the children are being
cramped that adults were in Law Enforcement, have McAleenan said that since The Associated Press, of treated in a horrific man-
forced to stand for days been doing a great job. the first of the year, 200 especially troubling condi- ner. And there’s an under-
on end. Government in- We said there was a Cri- medical providers have tions at a border station in lying philosophy that it’s
spectors described an in- sis - the Fake News & the been added to facilities, in- Clint, Texas, where a stench OK to treat refugees in this
creasingly dangerous situa- Dems said it was ‘manu- cluding personnel from the was coming from children’s fashion. And that’s really
tion, both for migrants and factured,’” Trump wrote. U.S. Coast Guard and the clothing and some detain- the rot at the core of the
agents — a “ticking time Federal detention centers Public Health Service Com- ees were suffering from administration’s policy.”
bomb,” in the words of one “are crowded (which we mission Corps. scabies and chickenpox. Separately, McAleenan
facility manager. The report ... brought up, not them) “We have pediatricians in “There’s adequate food addressed questions about
echoed findings in May by because the Dems won’t border patrol stations for and water,” he said. “The U.S. Border Patrol agents
the department’s inspec- change the Loopholes and the first time in history trying facility’s cleaned every who are under fire for post-
tor general about holding Asylum. Big Media Con to help address conditions day, because I know what ing offensive messages in a
centers in El Paso, Texas: Job!” where children are coming our standards are and I “secret” Facebook group
900 people crammed into Democrats faulted Trump across 300 a day in ... April know they’re been fol- that included sexually ex-
a cell with a maximum ca- for not offering an immigra- and May,” McAleenan lowed because we have plicit posts about U.S. Rep.
pacity of 125; detainees tion overhaul that could said. tremendous levels of over- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
standing on toilets to have pass a divided Congress. “We’ve built soft-sided sight. Five levels of over- and dismissive references
room to breathe; others “The president is acting like temporary facilities. These sight. to the deaths of migrants in
wearing soiled clothing for we are some weak, pa- are spaces that are much “Inadequate food, inad- U.S. custody. The existence
days or weeks. thetic country,” said Colo- more appropriate — high equate water and unclean of that group was reported
In tweets Sunday after- rado Sen. Michael Bennet, ceilings, more room for chil- cells. None of those have Monday by ProPublica.
noon, Trump went further a Democratic presidential dren and families. We’ve been substantiated.” Prior to that, few people
than McAleenan in de- candidate. “We have the put them both in Donna, He said everyone in the outside the group had ever
fending his administration’s ability to treat human be- Texas, in South Texas as well chain of command is wor- heard of it.q