Earlier this month Senator Jeff Merkley tried to see a Federal Government facility holding children separated from undocumented immigrant parents. Officials refused entry.
On Wednesday, MSNBC reporter Jacob Saboroff was among the first group of journalists allowed into the center in Brownsville, Texas, which has about 1,400 boys between ages 10 and 17. He summarizes, “It’s essentially a prison without cages or cells.”
The video features Soboroff’s account, followed by a Q&A between the reporter and Merkley providing further information and concerns:
One final thing that stuck out: this former WalMart is 250,000 square feet.
The boys have under *40* square feet of living space each.
Lights go out in there at 9PM every night.
Will have more tomorrow on @TODAYshow, @Morning_Joe & @MSNBC.
Thanks for sharing this story.
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 14, 2018
Here are some photos of the boys in the cafeteria.
This is not a school cafeteria.
Hundreds called to eat at a time on rotating shifts.
When I told @chrislhayes it felt like a prison or jail, I was thinking about this. pic.twitter.com/feZI46SPAc
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 14, 2018
Starting to get some handout photos from our tour with @HHSGov.
Here’s the Trump mural I mentioned to @chrislhayes inside the shelter for incarcerated child migrants.
Also their beds and the towels they shower with. pic.twitter.com/EPEQ1VGAAF
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 14, 2018
Something I just told @chrislhayes: this place is a licensed child care facility with trained staff. There are 26 operated by the same nonprofit, @SouthwestKey.
Its president told me that potential new tent cities that will be on federal property *don’t* have to be licensed.
— Jacob Soboroff (@jacobsoboroff) June 14, 2018
