US to house migrant children at Oklahoma army base

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


June 12, 2019 — 12.31pm

Lawton, Oklahoma: The US government has chosen a military base in Oklahoma as the location for a new temporary shelter to house migrant children and is considering a customs port in southern New Mexico as another option as existing shelters are overwhelmed.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement said on Tuesday it's dealing with a dramatic spike in the number of children crossing the border without parents. The agency already has received referrals for nearly 41,000 kids so far this fiscal year, marking an increase of almost 57 per cent over the same period last year.

The facility at Fort Sill near Lawton, Oklahoma, would be capable of holding 1400 kids. Fort Sill served as a temporary emergency shelter for unaccompanied children in 2014 as a result of a migration surge at that time.

That's in addition to the shelter announced just last week in Carrizo Springs, Texas, where as many as 1600 teens could be held in a complex on government leased land near the US-Mexico border.

Read more: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/north-america/us-to-house-migrant-children-at-oklahoma-army-base-20190612-p51wvw.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Trump Administration to Hold Migrant Children at Base That Served as WWII Japanese Internment Camp

Trump Administration to Hold Migrant Children at Base That Served as WWII Japanese Internment Camp

BY W.J. HENNIGAN
JUNE 11, 2019

The Trump Administration has opted to use an Army base in Oklahoma to hold growing numbers of immigrant children in its custody after running out of room at government shelters.

Fort Sill, an 150-year-old installation once used as an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, has been selected to detain 1,400 children until they can be given to an adult relative, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The agency said Fort Sill will be used “as a temporary emergency influx shelter” to help ease the burden on the government as it prepares to house a record number of minors even though it already operates about 168 facilities and programs in 23 states.

Health and Human Services said in a statement that it has taken about 40,900 children into custody through April 30. That’s a 57% increase from last year, which is a rate on-pace to surpass the record figures in 2016, when 59,171 minors were taken into custody. The agency had assessed two other military bases before selecting Fort Sill.

More:
https://time.com/5605120/trump-migrant-children-fort-still/?xid=tcoshare#d43c48d8-c745-4336-89a0-1b6801acf06c?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article

[msongs]

2. "work sets you free" - the new ICE slogan nt

[kimbutgar]

3. Modern day concentration camps for children

Another shame fat donnie is doing to America. I am so ashamed to bean American. No longer is America the land of the brave and free.

[McKim]

4. Alarming!!!!!

This is alarming. I hope the Japanese American Community is up in arms over this! I know I am as a retired Migrant Teacher, this breaks my heart. Who is next for the camps?