Violence and Cruel Treatment of Children in Border Patrol Custody

When people in jail get more humane treatment than children in border patrol custody, that is when there is a problem. Having one child die is one too many and no child should be dying while in custody. There are children reporting that they got sexually assaulted while in government custody when they got separated from their family. They are held anywhere from six through seven days in Border Patrol facilities which is not allowed. The facilities are not meant for children to stay long and do not have the proper necessities to care for them. Individuals need to make a change so this does not happen anymore any little actions can help make a big change in the system. Many child have been dying in border patrol custody, due to the facilities being unsanitary, not getting the medical attention they need, being kept in custody longer than they are suppose stay, children have also reported getting sexually assaulted, individuals need to come together to fight to give children a clean and safe place they can stay with medical help so no more children have to die.

Individuals have most likely heard about children dying while they are in border patrol custody from the news whether it being on television, reading the news online, reading the newspaper, scrolling through social media, or from a friend or family shocked by what was happening. In the article “Migrant children stuck” by Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff, they say, “Recently a 1-year-old boy who crossed with his grandmother was kept in Border Patrol custody for nine days.” In fact, He luckily survived a fever he got of 105 degrees when in custody (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff).” Individuals care about this problem because just hearing children are not getting the beds to sleep on, getting almost not eatable food, getting sexually assaulted, being kept and separated from their family for long periods of time, and dying would make most people care. Any small actions people take to help solve this problem is a step in the right direction. Individuals protesting to get children the help they need to be safe will encourage other to join them and little by little. Donating money to help fund medical help for children will also be a big step so they will not have to keep dying due to the lack of medical assistance they have now. Writing letters and making phone calls to the members of congress can also be another way that helps solve this problem. Passing a law that will fix the way they are running things now will also help solve the problem since they will get funds from the government to provide more beds, better food, faster processing and transfers so they are not kept away from their families, and medical attention so children are not getting sick or dying anymore.

The evidence why this problem exist is the lack of organization and processing time it takes them to transfer children to their families. In the article “The U.S. Took My Baby” By Sindy Flores, she says, “She's a toddler, so she can't tell me if something bad happened to her. I don't know if she thinks we chose to abandon her. All I know is she came back pounds thinner, with lice and a hacking cough, and she cried for days, traumatized by a government that keeps children from their parents because they are migrants.” In fact, she goes on to say she did not have any idea where he daughter was kept during that time or how well they were taking are of her (Sindy Flores). This means that the system they have now is not only putting the children in danger but also making their families worry sick about them. There is also evidence that children were getting sexually assaulted while in custody. There has been thousands of sexual assaults reported by children while in custody over the years. In the article “Migrant Kids Report Sex Assaults” By Alan Gomez, he points out, “Thousands of migrant children who crossed the southern border into the U.S. have reported they were sexually assaulted while in government custody, according to Department of Health and Human Services documents released Tuesday by Rep. Ted Deutch's office.” In fact, it is one to many times when a child is abused while in custody (Alan Gomez). Another piece of evidence is that the facilities are not fit to handle children or give them a safe and clean place to stay. In the article “Children in Border” by Tara law, she states, “Griffin says in the facilities she has toured, she saw holding areas that are freezing cold and are constantly lit. Detainees sleep wrapped in Mylar blankets on mats on cement floors, she says, are given poor food, and they cannot shower or brush their teeth.” The facilities not being fit to handle or take care of the children in custody is why this is a big problem. Children being kept from their families for long periods of time, many children reporting they got sexually assaulted when in custody, and children sleeping on concrete floors getting poorly made food not being able to clean themselves. Which evidently will lead some children to death due to getting sick from the environment around them and that makes this problem serious. “A former HHS official said the agency was aware late last year that there would be capacity issues, but without Congressional funding for more space, the agency's hands are tied (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff).” In fact, Officials from the Department of Homeland Security have said that there will be more deaths if they are unable to get more space for children (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff). Without the fundings for more space and other necessities children will keep suffering. This problem affects the families of the children directly because they have the suffer from losing their children for long periods of time without knowing what is happening to them or deal with their childrens death after something happens to them. The loss of children indirectly affects almost all individuals since they can show sympathy for the families of the dead children and the struggle they are going through.

A major cause that is responsible for creating the problem is the funding that would not allow for proper care of the children in custody, there is also the sexual assault children in custody have to deal with, another problem is with children staying longer in Border Patrol custody since it is taking longer to transfer them. Meanwhile “HHS contends that its hands are tied without more funding from Congress. Meanwhile, the situation for children stuck at overcrowded Border Patrol stations is growing more dire (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff).” If the overcrowding continues it will lead to children getting sick and eventually dying. If they do not open their hearts and help end the suffering of the children this will just be a none ending cycle that will go on forever. There have been sexual assaults reported throughout years “But the allegations have increased in the past two years after the Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' policy that led to at least 2,800 family separations flooding the department with additional children (Alan Gomez ). ” If those reports are not taken seriously and nothing happens to the officers doing that more and more children will have to experience being sexually assaulted. Children having to stay in Border Patrol custody longer has many negative like having to sleep on concrete floors, not eat well, and will suffer from depression and anxiety. 'Children are supposed to be transferred out of those facilities rapidly,' Holguín said. 'The system does not seem to be working if it's taking that long (Abigail Hauslohner and Maria Sacchetti ).' In fact since September six children have died while being in custody and children are also dying from the flu (Abigail Hauslohner and Maria Sacchetti). If the system continues to work as it is now this problem will still go on for many years and the children will continue to suffer. The congress or government probably thinks the way the system is now will figure itself out and do not want to give more money to help figure it out, or they simply do not care for the people going through the struggles since they are illegal immigrants. Individuals need to change the way they view people who are not from the same place as them. Every human should be treated with respect and not treated like animals just because they are trying to find a better place for their families. No child should be dying because they are kept in a unsanitary place or being sexually assaulted while in custody.

Some solutions people have proposed to help this problem is The new guidelines, announced Wednesday, require more thorough medical screening of children after they are taken into custody (Tara Law).” That may sound like it would solve a big part of the problem but it has not done anything because the death toll continues to rise with no end in sight. In fact, The conditions of children who get sick can worsen within a couple of minutes or hours that can lead to shock (Tara Law). They also have tried ways to get more beds so children can sleep on them instead of the floor, “A recent supplemental budget request included more beds for migrant children, but has so far been rejected in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff).” Without support from funds and help from the government there will be nothing they can do besides work with the system that is there. If congress does not care enough to give them beds that would prevent them from sleeping on the ground, it is truly heartbreaking. The Representatives should put themselves in the children's or parents' shoes when they are voting for this situation. Simple actions like telling a friend and spreading the word of what is happening can get people involved to make a change. Fighting to pass a law is another solution to help fix this problem since it will enforce the safety of the children in custody. Peaceful protesting will make the world aware of the issue that will help convince the government to take actions against these inhumane conditions they have to experience. Donating to organizations that help immigrant children when they are in custody and after they leave to reunite with their family. Sending letter or cards to the children and their families while they are in custody will let them know they are not alone and people are standing by them because they do not support what is happening. Especially the children because they do not deserve to be mistreated, or know any better nor have done anything wrong.

If individuals work together to make changes for the system that Border Patrol has now that is not enough space for all the children there, not enough beds so some are forced to sleep on the concrete floor, not getting proper food, not being able to shower or brush their teeth, and not receiving the proper medical attention they need and that is making children sick and leading to death. “Sixteen-year-old Carlos Gregorio Hernandez Vasquez, who died after being diagnosed with a strain of the potent H1N1 flu virus, was the third child to die in Border Patrol custody since December (Julia Ainsley and Jacob Soboroff).” Border Patrol agents are not held accountable when a child passes away, but they should be because they are withholding them longer than is allowed by the law. Children are the future, no matter what race, nationality, deformities or religion they believe in, no child should be treated worse or as bas as caged up farm animals, they are only innocent and do not deserve the treatment they are receiving now. If this does not get better the number of children dying will continue to increase and more people
will continue to suffer everyday.