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uppityperson

(115,674 posts)
Mon May 28, 2018, 10:38 PM May 2018

Snopes on "prison bus for babies"

Yes, it's for children held with their families, used for transportation.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/prison-bus-for-babies/

Is This a Picture of ICE’s ‘Special Prison Bus for Babies’?
A transport vehicle outfitted for children held at an immigrant detention facility has been described as a "prison bus for babies" by some.
(Clip)

RATING MOSTLY TRUE
ORIGIN
In mid-May 2018, social media users began encountering a photograph of a bus outfitted with child safety seats, which was described in accompanying text as depicting a “special prison bus for babies” use by a “private prison company running detention facilities” for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency:

Certainly the handling and treatment of undocumented children caught crossing the U.S. border has been a subject of controversy going back several years, but whether the vehicle pictured above should justifiably be described as a “special prison bus for babies” is a subjective matter.

U.S. Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) maintains a family detention facility for undocumented immigrants called the Karnes County Residential Center in Karnes City, Texas. That center is managed by GEO Group, Inc., a private company specializing in corrections and detention facilities. According the GEO Group’s own description, the Karnes facility houses women with children, and it provides educational services (as well monthly field trips) to the school age children held there:
(Clip)

So yes, the photograph in question depicts a bus purchased to ferry children being held at an immigrant detention center to medical/legal appointments and recreational functions. Whether that makes it a “prison bus for babies” or merely a transport vehicle outfitted for children is in the eye of the beholder.
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Snopes on "prison bus for babies" (Original Post) uppityperson May 2018 OP
In use since early 2016 oberliner May 2018 #1
I suppose it would be better if we let kids ride in the back of a pick up or something Demsrule86 May 2018 #8
I think this is a non-story oberliner May 2018 #10
I agree. Demsrule86 May 2018 #11
That is an excellent bit of clarification. CaliforniaPeggy May 2018 #2
Where the seats for adults supervising them? onecaliberal May 2018 #3
Yep. That's my first question. Control-Z May 2018 #5
A little more info about these "prison buses". Arkansas Granny May 2018 #6
It's actually a good thing the children get out of the detention center treestar May 2018 #7
Yes, but "prison bus for babies" is irresistible click bait. PSPS May 2018 #4
And of course if some breathlessly not it began in 2016...President Obama can be blamed. Demsrule86 May 2018 #9
Spot on. Tipperary May 2018 #12

Demsrule86

(68,347 posts)
8. I suppose it would be better if we let kids ride in the back of a pick up or something
Tue May 29, 2018, 07:53 AM
May 2018

when they needed to go somewhere. Damn President Obama in 16.

CaliforniaPeggy

(149,297 posts)
2. That is an excellent bit of clarification.
Mon May 28, 2018, 10:54 PM
May 2018

Let's describe things as they really are, and not the way we see them in our worst nightmares.

Control-Z

(15,681 posts)
5. Yep. That's my first question.
Mon May 28, 2018, 11:20 PM
May 2018

Where do I sit? No one is strapping my baby into a car seat without a seat right next to it for me.

Arkansas Granny

(31,483 posts)
6. A little more info about these "prison buses".
Mon May 28, 2018, 11:45 PM
May 2018
The expansion of the Karnes County Residential Center (KCRC) was completed in early December 2015, and increased the capacity to 1,158 beds.

The expansion created new demands to an already unique transportation mission by requiring larger capacity vehicles to provide offsite field trips. These field trips are part of the contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Field trips are provided to all children, ages four through seventeen enrolled in educational programs provided by the John H. Wood Charter School, located at KCRC. Field trips consist of going to a variety of places, such as the San Antonio Zoo, seeing a movie at the local theater, going to the park, etc.

The transportation requirements to handle the increased school enrollment were presented to corporate officials at the end of the 3rd quarter 2015. On February 4, 2016, two new fleet vehicles were delivered to the KCRC to fulfill contractual obligations. The first vehicle is an eighteen-seat passenger bus that is ADA compliant with rear wheelchair lift system and the second bus has twenty-six seats. These vehicles do not have standard GTI security equipment such as steel cages or window bars or screens. Both buses have camera systems and digital video recorders to record all activity during transport.


Due to the unique transportation criteria, KCRC officials worked very closely with GTI Vice President Ed Stubbs and Corporate Fleet Manager Paul Gossard, to outfit and configure the bus cabins to meet ICE requirements and to be compliant with the terms of this unique contract. Both buses are outfitted with standard commercial grade cushioned seating. Each seat has a convertible child safety seat and is equipped with a DVD system with four drop down screens to provide entertainment to the children with onboard movies during transport missions.

https://www.geogroup.com/News-Detail/NewsID/428


The article goes on to state how many staff members accompany the children on these trips. I found the link here: https://gritpost.com/private-prison-ice-buses-babies/

It appears that some of the reports we've heard have been distorted.
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