Biden Administration Reopens Carrizo Springs Facility to House Migrant Children

In response to the ongoing challenges of increased migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Biden administration has taken the decision to reopen a facility near the border to accommodate migrant children who arrive in the country unaccompanied by their parents. The site in question, a former work camp located in Carrizo Springs, Texas, will be prepared to house unaccompanied migrant children in federal custody starting Friday. Two anonymous U.S. officials familiar with the matter shared this information with CBS News.

It’s worth noting that this location was used in 2021 to house migrant teenagers, but this time around, it will feature additional facilities and higher standards of care. This marks the second instance in less than two months where the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has reopened an “influx care facility” for unaccompanied children. The increase in the number of unaccompanied children arriving at the U.S. southern border in recent weeks has made this necessary. In the previous month, HHS restarted the housing of migrant children at another former work camp in Pecos, Texas, which was previously linked to reports of poor conditions in 2021.

According to federal law, U.S. border officials must transfer unaccompanied children who are not from Mexico to HHS within 72 hours of processing them. HHS is legally mandated to provide care for these children until they reach the legal age or until they can be placed with a sponsor in the U.S., who is typically a relative. Historically, HHS has utilized shelters licensed by state child welfare authorities to house migrant children. However, due to the increase in border crossings under both Republican and Democratic administrations in recent years, the department has had to resort to “influx care facilities” and other locations with greater capacity. It’s important to note that these influx sites do not possess state licenses to house minors.

HHS confirmed the reopening of the housing facility in Carrizo Springs, which is the largest town in Texas’ sparsely populated Dimmit County. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division of HHS, is responsible for managing this facility. The statement from HHS acknowledged that while their priority is to place children in standard care provider facilities, the capacity of influx care facilities remains necessary to ensure that referrals can be accepted promptly when other network facilities reach or approach their capacity limits.

This summer, there was a sharp increase in the number of migrant children crossing the U.S. southern border, contributing to the strain on federal, state, and local resources. HHS received more than 12,000 migrant children in September and 13,000 in August, compared to approximately 9,400 in July. As of a Thursday morning update, HHS was housing 10,960 unaccompanied minors, marking a 75% increase from early July when there were around 6,000 migrant children in custody.

The surge in the number of migrant children crossing the U.S. southern border over the past two years has presented significant logistical and humanitarian challenges for the Biden administration. In fiscal year 2022, HHS received a record 128,904 unaccompanied minors, up from 122,731 in the previous year. The majority of these children originate from northern Central America.

In response to the surge, the administration set up makeshift shelters in various locations, including convention centers, military bases, and work camps. These measures aimed to alleviate overcrowding in Border Patrol facilities, but some of these emergency shelters faced allegations of substandard living conditions and inadequate services, with concerns raised about the emotional distress experienced by the children housed there.

It’s crucial to note that children in HHS custody are not detained in jail-like detention centers or cells. While there are more restrictive facilities for troubled youth, most unaccompanied children in HHS care are housed in shelters that provide educational, recreational, medical, and mental health services. The reopening of the Carrizo Springs facility is a reflection of the ongoing efforts to manage the complex issues surrounding the care of unaccompanied migrant children.