Texas House members at the State Capitol discussed ways to improve conditions for migrant asylum seekers being held at border detention centers.
Members of the House Homeland Security and International Relation committees heard invited testimony from state officials who have been assisting Customs and Border Patrol. State Rep Rafael Anchia chairs International Relations and said, “The Department of Homeland Security has reported disturbing conditions in detention facilities in the Rio Grande Valley, in El Paso…attorneys, physicians, and advocates have reported lack of access to water, sanitation, basic hygiene, and inadequate food all ver the state of Texas.”
The invited testimony included those heading the Texas Military Department, Health and Human Services, border mayors and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Col. Steve McCraw. He told the Committees, “Border Patrol is not equipped…they don’t have the staff to be able to do this particular assignment. I know you know that there’s a requirement that HHS take over the children over…so its the entire system even the immigration court is backed up.”
McCraw said the good news is over the past three weeks the number of migrants seeking asylum in Texas is going down, from 20,000 to 1,000 this last week.
(Photo:Shutterstock/Saeschie Wagner)
