Thread: 5,800 migrant children are living in shelters across Texas

Data shows more than 5,800 migrant children are living in shelters across Texas

by Salina Madrid
Monday, June 10th 2019

The Texas Tribune reports more than 5,800 unaccompanied migrant children are living in 35 shelters across the state as of last month.

The U.S. government has also reported more than 144,000 migrants were apprehended or denied entry last month, which is a 13-year high.

They say more than half of the families detained had children. And 8 percent of these migrants are considered to be unaccompanied minors.

Since the temporary shelter in Tornillo, the number of children in Texas shelters has seen a small increase. This El Paso County shelter was intended to house 360 children when it opened last June, but actually ended up holding over 2,000 children by December.

When the Tornillo shelter closed, the number of children in Texas shelters was at 5,659. New data shows that number has increased to 5,819 as of last month.

Right now, Texas has 35 state-licensed shelters.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission says combined, the 35 shelters can accommodate up to 6,423 children, meaning the state shelters are at about 90 percent capacity.

These migrant children living in federal shelters no longer have access to English classes, recreational programs, like soccer, and legal aid, after the Trump Administration decided to cancel these activities due to budget pressures earlier this month.

The Texas Tribune reported that the director of Hope Border Institute, Dylan Corbett, told them this decision was.. “a demonstration of their willingness to use children as pawns in a politically motivated plan to inflict as much pain as possible.”

https://valleycentral.com/news/local...s-across-texas

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