Facility Where Teen Died In U.S. Custody Closed After A ‘Large Number’ Of Detainees Were Found To Have High Fevers
The center primarily responsible for processing migrants in South Texas will temporarily stop taking in new people and officials say they are treating those with fevers. A 16-year-old from Guatemala died after being detained at the facility for six days -- twice as long as generally allowed by law. The boy, who had been diagnosed with the flu, was the fifth child to die in U.S. custody in recent months.
The Associated Press:
US Closes Facility That Detained Migrant Who Later Died
U.S. border agents have temporarily closed their primary facility for processing migrants in South Texas one day after authorities say a 16-year-old died after being diagnosed with the flu at the facility. In a statement released late Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it would stop detaining migrants at its processing center in McAllen, Texas. CBP says “a large number” of people in custody were found Tuesday to have high fevers. The agency says it is working to provide medical treatment to all those with fevers. (5/22)
The Washington Post:
McAllen Detainee Center Closed For Flu Outbreak After 16-Year-Old Migrant Dies In Custody
A spokesman in the Rio Grande Valley Sector did not say how many migrants were affected by the illness. The McAllen processing center, a crowded warehouse-like building where detainees are held behind fencing and sleep on mats, is among the busiest facilities along the southern border. The outbreak comes amid severe overcrowding problems at migrant detention facilities in South Texas and heightened scrutiny of the conditions within them, as five child migrants have died in U.S. custody since December. The ballooning volume of people crossing the southern border to claim asylum in recent months has overwhelmed numerous facets of the immigration system, from the border stations to the courts, and has led CBP to take drastic measures to process all of them. (Flynn, 5/22)
