TRUMPS KILLING OF THE IMMIGRANT CHILDREN HAVE CAUS
Post# of 65629
Statement: "The sheer volume of illegal immigration has overwhelmed federal authorities and stretched our immigration system beyond the breaking point. Nearly 50 migrants a day are being referred for medical assistance. They're very, very sick, making this a health crisis as well. It's a very big health crisis. People have no idea how big it is unless you're there."
Facts: Since a partial government shutdown began on Dec. 22, agents have spent nearly 19,300 hours in hospital visits, according to Customs and Border Protection.
Since Dec. 22, Border Patrol has transported 2,224 migrants they've apprehended to local hospitals along the U.S.-Mexico border. That's roughly 5.3 percent of all apprehensions during that time period, according to the agency.
Customs and Border Protection said in its statement that the hospitalizations have strained Border Patrol resources, "severely limiting their ability to process the large group or respond to other border security duties."
"Thus resulting in increased time in custody, delaying custody transfer coordination, and inhibiting response to other illegal cross-border traffic," they added.
However, advocacy groups said the increase in hospitalizations has more to do with the mounting pressure on the Border Patrol after the deaths of Guatemalan children at the border last month.
Following their deaths, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials mandated secondary medical checks for children in the government's custody.