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(CNN) ––
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detained more than five dozen immigrant children –– some under 1 year old–– in facilities throughout the U.S.-Mexico border for more than three days in the past two months, according to new documents filed in federal court.
The documents prompted Democratic lawmakers to urgently request information from the Donald Trump administration.
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"We write with great concern for the children that the Trump administration continues to neglect and treat indifferently on the southwestern border," Representatives Joaquín Castro of Texas, Jerry Nadler of New York and Zoe Lofgren of California, among others, wrote in a letter.
The letter, obtained by CNN, was addressed to the acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, on Tuesday.
“In the last two months alone, CBP has detained 14 children under the age of 5 for more than five days.
Including a one-month-old baby who was detained for more than 16 days in September 2020, ”the lawmakers wrote.
"They told me I can't leave until my mother arrives"
The court documents include accounts of children being held in CBP custody.
For example, a 15-year-old boy from El Salvador detained at the Weslaco Border Patrol Station, located in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, described sleeping sitting up "because there were so many people in the room," according to a statement filed. sectional.
“I met eight other children who were detained with me and who had been detained for four days.
They all left the facility, ”said the minor.
He was detained there for three days.
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An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala was detained at the station while his sick mother was transferred "to an unknown place."
«My mother is in another place.
I think he's in the hospital because his back hurts.
I have not been able to speak to her because she is ill.
They told me I can't leave until she arrives, ”the boy told a lawyer, according to court documents.
The Democrats' letter is based on government data provided to lawyers in the Flores settlement case.
This judicial precedent requires the government to release children in immigration detention without unnecessary delay to their parents, other adult relatives, or authorized programs.
Retaining children on the premises for more than three days is a violation of that agreement, with limited exceptions.
Alarm over prolonged detention of immigrant children
The prolonged detention of children raised the alarm among immigrant advocates and lawmakers last year.
At that time, arrests at the US-Mexico border skyrocketed and the children's shelters were full.
But the most recent series of incidents occurs when arrests have decreased compared to 2019. It is unclear what has led to the increase in detention time for children in recent months.
The government has "categorically refused to disclose the motive" for the prolonged detention of children, attorneys said in a filing of court papers Monday in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
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When CNN requested a comment, CBP responded that it "does not comment on pending litigation.
However, the lack of comment should not be construed as an agreement or stipulation with any of the accusations.
Customs and Border Protection facilities are not designed for long-term care, as their goal is to quickly process immigrants.
As a result, venues are often ill-equipped to handle prolonged detention of people.
Immigrant children "reported sharing a cell with 16-20 other children"
Denise A. Rosales, an attorney, discovered that was the case last week during a visit to the Border Patrol substation in Weslaco.
There he interviewed unaccompanied children, according to a statement filed in court.
Rosales observed a lack of social distancing.
"The children reported sharing a cell with 16-20 other children," the statement said.
“When I asked if social distancing measures were being taken inside the cells, the children said no.
Many children reported that they were very cold.
During an interview, a girl commented on how beautiful the sun was.
She said she hadn't seen the sun in more than two days.
Most of the children appeared to have reached the southern border with their family, including the one-month-old baby who was held for about 16 days.
Of the 36 children detained for more than three days in September, 31 were listed in the column "family unit / group".
The remaining five were listed as unaccompanied arrivals, according to court documents.
In October, of the children detained for a long time, 27 were listed as arriving with their family and / or in a group.
Meanwhile, eight were listed as arriving alone.
Fifteen children appear to have been subjected to a public health order, related to the coronavirus pandemic, which allows the Trump administration to quickly remove migrants arrested at the southern border.
A federal judge recently blocked this practice for unaccompanied children.
Lawmakers requested a response from Wolf within 30 days.
"These children deserve and have the legal right to receive humane care and treatment, after the treacherous journey from their countries of origin," the letter concluded.
CBP Detention United States Mexico Border Immigrant Children