United States Customs and Border Protection has ordered “pediatric evaluations” of all illegal immigrant children currently in CBP custody and an overhaul of CBP medical evaluation policies — as well as a probe into whether Mexican shelters, which are providing temporary respite for migrants as they cross through the country, are actually incubators of disease.
A second child died while in border patrol custody over the weekend — this time a young boy who had crossed into the U.S. illegally with his father after traveling from Guatemala. In response, Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan is admitting that CBP needs help handling the recent spike in border crossings, and a more aggressive approach to controlling disease in the apprehended migrant population.
So in response, CBP is suggesting a handful of changes to its policies, including adding secondary pediatric checks for all children in custody, instituting “surge” transportation for families with minor children from CBP facilities to family-oriented detention centers, and committing to routine checks of children in border patrol custody beyond 24 hours.
They’re also ordering an investigation into the conditions at Mexican shelters, which are housing Guatemalan and Honduran asylum seekers as they cross through Mexico, in case the disease and infection problems are originating outside the United States.
Politico reports that “DHS is seeking to examine health conditions at Mexican migrant facilities,” and that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen will visit a handful of Mexican migrant shelters later this week. – READ MORE