Brownsville, Texas —
On Tuesday, the UN’s Human Rights spokesperson slammed the U.S.’ policy at the border that would prosecute all undocumented adults crossing illegally, essentially stripping them of any accompanying children they arrived with.
“Detention is never in the best interest of the child and always constitutes a child’s rights violation,” Ravina Shamdasani said.
It’s the latest condemnation since U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the policy change May 7.
Three days after the announcement, confusion and frustration not only among detained undocumented parents, but government officials, were captured on an audio recording from inside a federal court room in Brownsville, Texas during a sentencing hearing for several immigrants:
Judge Ronald Morgan: “Mr. Hernandez Lopez, anything you wish to say before sentence?”
Woman: “Yes, will my girl come with me when I get deported?”
Presumed case manager: “Your honor, both she and the man next to her had their children with them. They had a credible fear claim. They were both taken into custody and their children were separated from them, and I’ve been unable to figure out where their children are at this point.”
Judge Ronald Morgan: “My understanding, the way it’s supposed to work is, because you are from a country other than Mexico, you’re going to be sent to a camp, and you’re going to be sent to a camp where your child will be allowed to join you. That’s my understanding of how it’s supposed to work.”
Judge Ronald Morgan: “The theory is, that’s going to keep you from coming to this country.”
Magistrate Judge Ronald Morgan gets the same questions from two more immigrants. The last one causes the judge to send a stern message to the government:
Woman 2: “It’s the same case as them, with my daughter… just that they didn’t separate us, but they told me that they will take her away from me.”
Judge Ronald Morgan: “Well, let’s hope they don’t. You and your daughter should be joined together…”
Judge Ronald Morgan: “Ms. D’Andrea… my understanding is, that when there’s a parent and child, the parent and child are supposed to be joined before they are separated and sent home, is that correct?”
D’Andrea: “that’s what I heard, your honor, as well.”
Judge Ronald Morgan: “I tell you what, if it’s not, then a lot of folks have some answering to do. Because what you’ve done, in effect, by separating these children is, you’re putting them some place without their parent. You can imagine, if there’s a hell, that’s probably what it looks like.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, about 700 children have been taken from their parents since October.
Over the weekend, Oregon senator Jeff Merkley traveled to Brownsville in hopes of accessing a shelter for immigrant minors but was turned away.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement said in a statement that no one arriving unannounced would be allowed in. There are over 100 of these shelters in 17 states in operation.
The latest numbers released by Border Patrol show a 1.9 percent increase in the number of people caught crossing the border illegally compared to April.