Jun 23, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Texas Republican says conditions in immigrant centers are worst he's ever seen

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday that the conditions of immigrant detention centers in his state are the "worst" he's ever seen them, and he called on Congress to pass humanitarian aid to "take care of these children."

"We have to pass humanitarian aid to take care of these children. That is the nation we are. We have to take care of these kids. ... I've lived in that state, I've been down there throughout my 15 years in Congress and before that as a federal prosecutor. This is the worst I've ever seen it, and it has to be taken care of."

Why it matters: Immigrant detention facilities have drawn heightened scrutiny in the wake of recent reports that suggest the government is failing to provide adequate living conditions and sanitary products for immigrant children being detained.

  • According to the New Yorker, children in facilities have been suffering from flu and lice outbreaks, sleeping on concrete floors and left virtually uncared for by staff. Four toddlers were hospitalized after lawyers discovered them in medically dire states at a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas.
  • A bipartisan push to resolve the situation has yet to materialize.

Go deeper: Read the New Yorker's interview with a lawyer who visited a facility

Go deeper