Children Removed from Immigrant Shelter After Allegations of Sexual Abuse

TEXAS - Seventy-two children who were being cared for in an immigrant shelter, after having been caught trying to cross the United States / Mexican border, have been moved from the Texas Sheltered Care facility this week amid allegations of sexual abuse.

These children, many of whom were found attempting to cross the border alone, were sent to a shelter in Nixon, Texas, one of about 36 similar type facilities for housing children in the nation. The facility is overseen by the federal government's Office of Refugee Settlement.

In an article found on the website for the Center for Immigration Studies, approximately 100,000 illegal immigrants under the age of 18 are found attempting to cross the border each year. In that same article, it said, "...when it comes to certain illegal border crossers under the age of 18, the Department of Homeland Security is no longer responsible for enforcing immigration law." (http://www.cis.org/ articles/2004/back1304.html)

What this means is that instead of arresting the children, holding them for questioning and then deporting them back to Mexico, the children are held in facilities such as the 36 refugee centers for children mentioned earlier. It is estimated that approximately 8,000 of immigrant children found crossing the borders alone are held this way until the United States decides what to do with them. Many are deported back to Mexico, some are placed into foster care, and others are allowed to be placed with American relatives.

Youth found crossing the border with their parents are held in the county jail with their parents, but these new refugee youth detainment facilities are said not to resemble a jail at all, making the situation less traumatic for the children who are found crossing the border unaccompanied by a parent or other adult family member.

However, with the allegations by several children of sexual abuse at the facility, this particular facility has chosen to scatter the remaining children amongst the other 36 facilities in the country, terminate the employee accused of the sexual abuse, and investigate the situation more carefully.