Under Congressional Grilling, Former HHS Official Admits He Didn’t Pass Along Warnings About Psychological Impact Of Family Separations
Scott Lloyd, former head of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, testified Tuesday about the family separations in front of the House Judiciary Committee after months of resistance. Meanwhile, during the hearing, data was released that showed there have been thousands of accusations of sexual abuse and harassment of migrant children in detention centers over the past four years. The Office of Refugee Resettlement manages the care of tens of thousands of migrant children who cycle through the system each year.
The Washington Post:
Democrats Grill Trump Officials Over Family Separations And Threaten Wider Legal Probe
At separate hearings on Capitol Hill, Democratic lawmakers hammered the Trump administration Tuesday over the “zero tolerance” prosecution policy that split thousands of migrant children from their parents last year and devolved into a political fiasco for the White House. Several Trump officials acknowledged to the House Judiciary Committee that they did not speak up to supervisors or attempt to stop the implementation of the family separations at the border, despite warnings it probably would traumatize children. Facing aggressive and sometimes angry questions from Democrats, the officials who formulated and carried out the separation system recognized communication failures among their agencies, but defended their actions as an attempt to uphold immigration laws. (Miroff, Sacchetti and Sonmez, 2/26)
The Hill:
Former Trump Refugee Director Did Not Notify Superiors About Family Separation Warnings
The controversial former head of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement told a House panel Tuesday that he did not pass along warnings about the psychological impact of separating children from their families. Under questioning from Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, Scott Lloyd said he did not tell his superiors that separating children from families could have lasting health consequences. (Weixel, 2/26)
The Associated Press:
At Least 4,500 Abuse Complaints At Migrant Children Shelters
Thousands of accusations of sexual abuse and harassment of migrant children in government-funded shelters were made over the past four years, including scores directed against adult staff members, according to federal data released Tuesday. The cases include allegations of inappropriate touching, staff members allegedly watching minors while they bathed and showing pornographic videos to minors. Some of the allegations included inappropriate conduct by minors in shelters against other minors, as well as by staff members. (Long, 2/26)
The Hill:
Thousands Of Migrant Children Allegedly Sexually Assaulted While In US Custody
The allegations include rumors of sexual relationships between staff and minors and reports of staff forcibly touching the genitals of minors, as well as inappropriate touching between staff and minors.
Deutch said the agency provided the documents in response to a request for information from the House Judiciary Committee. During a committee hearing Tuesday about the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy of separating families at the border, Deutch questioned agency officials about the findings. (Weixel, 2/26)
Meanwhile —
The Associated Press:
California Officials: Immigration Facilities Lack Oversight
Detainees confined to federal immigration detention facilities located in California have inadequate access to health care, lawyers and family, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra said Tuesday. Becerra was discussing the findings of a 147-page report prepared by his office that also found that detainees face long periods of confinement without breaks and language barriers in the 10 detention facilities state authorities inspected in 2017. (Elias, 2/26)
San Francisco Chronicle:
ICE Detention: California Finds Poor Conditions In Immigrant Holding Centers
Many immigrants held in federally overseen detention centers in California are confined in their cells for up to 22 hours a day, have trouble accessing medical and mental health care and face significant barriers in obtaining translators and lawyers, the state attorney general’s office said Tuesday. (Sanchez, 2/26)
