The increase in the arrival of unaccompanied children puts the immigration system, which is under limited capacity due to the coronavirus pandemic, additionally disadvantaged.
“We recognize the challenge of bringing these unaccompanied children across the border and the influx for which we are certainly preparing and preparing to approach,” White House spokesman Jen Psaki said Friday.
The Department of Health and Human Services is charged with caring for unaccompanied migrant children until they are placed with a sponsor, such as a parent or family member, in the US, but with precautions to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in place , the department. can only use more than half of the beds for children.
There are approximately 7,700 unaccompanied children in HHS care. The department has about 13,650 beds to accommodate children if they are not under capacity.
A separate document, compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, calls the situation an ‘extraordinary’ circumstance and says’ facilities need to plan and anticipate COVID-19 cases, citing the nature of the pandemic’s. and admit ‘there is no 0% risk scenario. “
Friday’s memo highlights the challenge of Biden’s government to keep children out of the border patrol.
“Additional shelter capacity will reduce the likelihood of children staying longer in border patrol stations for longer than necessary, where they will also be exposed to COVID-19 transmission risks, as well as children’s welfare issues related to such institutions. to children as [Office of Refugee Resettlement] program sites that can operate on full license with comprehensive COVID-19 mitigation measures in place, ”reads the memo.
“Based on CDC guidance, ORR has notified facilities that they can temporarily reactivate the capacity to their full licensed capacity to safe occupancy levels,” the memorandum continues, emphasizing that bed reactivation must be done in a safe manner. The Refugee Relocation Office is the federal agency under HHS commissioned to care for migrant children.
The CDC document recommends shelters to put Covid-19 mitigation measures in place, such as the use of masks, removal, cleaning and disinfection, improved ventilation, increased testing and vaccination for children over 16 years of age.
HHS also recently opened an overflow facility in Texas to house children who come to the southern border of the U.S. without a parent or family member, until they can be relocated to the family in the U.S.
“We need to find facilities and places where we can have these unaccompanied minors safe and humane,” Psaki told reporters on Friday.
This story has been updated with additional details.