Border Patrol’s New Coordinators Are Meant to Help Process Children, But Concerns Linger

A document variety of migrant kids are arriving to the U.S.-Mexico border alone. In March 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP) encountered practically 19,000 unaccompanied minors—essentially the most to ever arrive in a single month.

However for the primary time, Border Patrol processing coordinators—not regulation enforcement brokers—will probably be stationed at CBP services to assist take care of the youngsters.

These new Border Patrol processing coordinators have been employed to tackle the various duties which have overwhelmed discipline brokers, similar to offering the youngsters with scorching meals and assuring they’ve entry to mattresses. The aim of the civilian Border Patrol group is twofold: assist ease the workload on brokers and convey a much-needed humanitarian strategy to the care of unaccompanied kids.

Border Patrol Amenities Aren’t Meant for Kids

For years, the Border Patrol has struggled to handle the care of youngsters in its custody. Its services had been initially designed for single grownup males who may very well be rapidly processed out—not unaccompanied kids. However regardless of years of warning, the services at this time usually are not a lot better than they had been in 2014 when kids and households first started arriving on the border.

By regulation, CBP can not maintain unaccompanied minors in its services for greater than 72 hours. However kids usually spend days or even weeks detained on the border earlier than being transferred into the custody of Well being and Human Providers (HHS).

The circumstances in these services are infamous for being freezing, cramped, and unsanitary. It was solely inside the final yr {that a} federal courtroom issued a everlasting injunction mandating that some CBP services present individuals with fabric blankets, potable water, and showers.

The Biden administration has been working to expedite the processing of minors from border services to HHS custody. This operation will hopefully pace up with the help from the brand new division of the Border Patrol.

However as just lately as the top of March, a gaggle of over 4,100 kids had been being held at a tent construction on the border. The Donna, Texas facility is just meant for 250 individuals. The youngest within the facility had been a new child and a three-year-old.

“As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, a Border Patrol facility is not any place for a kid,” Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas just lately declared in a press release.

Border Patrol Brokers Aren’t Educated in Youngster Welfare

Being detained is traumatic for anybody, however particularly so for kids. That is compounded with the trauma many kids skilled of their residence nations and on harmful journeys to the US.

For years, advocates have uncovered the methods during which CBP has systematically failed to offer kids with satisfactory medical care, together with psychological well being companies. Placing kids into the first custody of Border Patrol brokers, who aren’t skilled to care for kids, has had devastating penalties.

This lack of kid welfare coaching was significantly evident within the Trump administration. In the course of the top of Trump’s household separation coverage, audio leaked of a Border Patrol agent mocking sobbing kids who had been calling out for his or her dad and mom.

We Want a Extra Expansive Strategy

The introduction of civilian Border Patrol officers is a welcome, far overdue growth. The company hopes to graduate 300 new processing coordinators annually for the following 4 years. Nonetheless, this measure ought to be considered as a stopgap till a brand new system of humanitarian safety will be created on the border.

Advocates are additionally pushing the Biden administration to open an consumption heart the place kids may very well be ushered to right away after they’re apprehended, avoiding Border Patrol services altogether. One other resolution is to right away launch kids to household sponsors as quickly as safely attainable.

President Biden has made some motion on this entrance. Along with increasing the capability of HHS services, the administration has vowed that members of the family won’t be the goal of immigration enforcement after they come ahead to sponsor a baby. A earlier information-sharing settlement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intimated individuals from coming ahead to select up a baby from authorities custody.

Although this can be a good step, the federal government wants a extra expansive strategy. The fact is that no little one ought to be detained in Border Patrol custody for any interval.

FILED UNDER: border patrol, unaccompanied kids