On Saturday, the US Homeland Security Department ordered an emergency department that usually responds to floods, storms and other major disasters to support a large number of migrant children arriving at the U.S.-Mexico frontier.
The DHS Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, said in a news release that he would “assist in receiving, sheltering and transporting children” with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a further 90 days.
This move shows that the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat who took office on January 20, is experiencing a growing humanitarian and political crisis. The increasing numbers come as Biden has reversed some of the restrictive policies of former Republican President Donald Trump.
Immigration officials transfer unaccompanied minors found crossing the border to another federal agency, the Health and Human Services Department (HHS). However, an increase in the number of children arriving without parents or legal guardians has surpassed the shelter capability, which was previously reduced by 40% to limit COVID-19 spread.
The restriction of the capacities of the coronavirus shelter was levied on 5 March, but only about 200 beds came online last week.
How FEMA will help, although the agency has housing expertise and care for homeless people, is unclear. The Homeland Security Statement says FEMA would help “look for every option available to expand physical capacity for adequate lodging quickly.”
A FEMA statement also stated that it “provides food, water and basic medical care” with HHS.
Migrant children apprehended at the border shall be transferred within 72 hours from the custody of the Border Patrol. But if shelter space is limited, they will stay for longer periods in border detention facilities-as is happening now.
The border stations have been built for short periods to accomodate adult men and could pose a health risk to COVID-19 for children and staff if overcrowded.
As of Thursday morning, over 3,600 migrant children were being held at U.S. borders, a U.S. officer told Reuters, more than four times the number at the end of February. As of Friday, about 8,800 unaccompanied children were in custody at the HHS refugee office.
FEMA also helped to coordinate a response under former President Barack Obama to the influx of unaccompanied minors in 2014.
