What will Biden do with minor immigrants?
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(CNN) ––
The US government currently has more than 14,000 immigrant minors in its custody, government officials revealed Thursday.
Despite this, they insist that what happens on the border with Mexico does not constitute a "crisis."
These are the top countries of origin for unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in the US and other immigration statistics
The latest figures come as President Joe Biden and his top advisers work urgently to devise solutions to the border situation.
Among them, the increase in the capacity to house unaccompanied minors who arrive in the country.
Also, work with Mexico to help manage the flow of migrants from Central America.
Where are the unaccompanied immigrant minors?
Officials said there were more than 9,500 minors in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services and approximately 4,500 under Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Those numbers represent an increase compared to earlier this week.
The average time that a minor lasts in the custody of the Department of Health is 34 days, added an official.
The situation has generated increased scrutiny and accusations that Biden's more welcoming stance toward migrants sparked a flood of those arriving from Central America.
The president himself tried to refute that notion in an interview this week.
Where do children separated from their parents go in the US?
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However, the number of children in federal custody is increasing.
And as that happens, the White House faces pressure to find an answer that alleviates the problem.
But also keep the more humane approach that Biden campaigned on.
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"They are not a national crisis"
When speaking with journalists on Thursday, senior government officials insisted that the policies of former President Donald Trump led to this situation.
And they affirmed that migrant flows should be expected.
"The minors arriving at the border are not a national crisis," said one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“January 20 was not suddenly the moment when the border looked different.
The numbers go up and down all the time, ”the official continued.
Adults are rejected.
Most families are rejected.
We can process and protect children who come to our borders for help, as required by law.
And our government is doing it.
Despite the Risks, Migrants and Unaccompanied Minors Continue to Cross the U.S. Southern Border, Government Says
Despite the administration's efforts to downplay the current surge in migrants, CBP is on track to record the highest number of people found at the border in the past 20 years.
This was recognized this Tuesday by the Secretary of National Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.
As reported, the agency is finding children as young as 6 and 7 years old.
The message the government wants to send
Both Mayorkas' interventions on television this week, as well as the briefings by officials, were designed to show that the government is addressing the problem.
Biden has received harsh recriminations from Republicans, but also some Democrats for handling this issue.
Officials said Thursday that most adult migrants and families were being expelled.
But, they also recognized that there are limitations in Mexico's ability to host migrants.
Especially those with young children.
And they repeated that the Biden government would not expel unaccompanied minors.
“We are dealing with a problem that was left to us.
The president inherited chaos, "said an official.
"We have a comprehensive, government-wide approach to cleaning up the mess," he insisted.
Dávila: The truce is blurred so as not to criticize Biden 0:41
The administration's plans to serve migrant minors
The administration is now focused on increasing the capacity of its facilities and speeding up the processing of unaccompanied children, officials said.
As they explained, this would allow the minors to leave the care of the government more quickly.
That includes altering covid-19 protocols to increase the number of people allowed inside each facility and opening new locations.
As well as paying for the flights or transportation of minors to meet with relatives or guardians.
The officials also emphasized that they work through diplomatic channels to try to address the root causes of migration from Central America.
Among them, violence, poverty and, this year, two devastating hurricanes.
Biden is caught up in immigration woes as the unaccompanied migrant child crisis continues
But those efforts are longer term.
For now, the government said it is trying to rapidly increase capacity at CBP's new facilities in Texas and Arizona to house incoming migrants.
And, at the same time, provide a basic level of comfort.
The facility in Donna, Texas
An official referred to the temporary processing facility operated by CBP in Donna, Texas, which houses the majority of unaccompanied children arriving at the border.
As he said "it has been designed to be able to provide the best possible care under the circumstances."
The official said it included three meals a day, access to regular snacks, freedom of movement, phone calls, showers and occasional outdoor recreation time.
"I would say that there are people who do the best they can to provide care in a facility that is not really designed to house large numbers of children," said one official.
Biden to Migrants: Don't Come 2:36
Media requests to tour Donna's facility have been repeatedly denied.
The argument of the Department of Homeland Security is the restrictions for covid-19.
And while the White House said Wednesday it would discuss posting photos taken by an administration delegation to Donna's facility earlier this month, it seemed unlikely a day later.
“There was a private briefing, an internal briefing several weeks ago.
We generally do not provide those materials publicly.
But, we want you to be able, or for a media group to be able to have your own pictures of these facilities, ”said press secretary Jen Psaki.
CBP migrant children