Mass. Representatives Visit Migrant Detention Center In Texas
BOSTON (CBS) -- Three U.S. representatives from Massachusetts visited migrant detention centers in Texas. Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley and Lori Trahan along with Congressmen Joe Kennedy were in El Paso and Clint, Texas Monday.
Pressley and Trahan were emotional as they spoke following their visit.
"The madres that I saw with, who wept openly in our arms, not even knowing our names because of the trauma they are experiencing and because they don't know where their children are," Pressley said.
Trahan said, "These facilities are not built to care for children. The people who are trained here, they are not trained to give care to children."
2) Facilities are wholly inadequate. Cells maxed to capacity, concrete floors...It felt jail-like. No way to keep a child or innocent human being. Group of 13 women from Cuba were in tears when we spoke with them.
— Joe Kennedy III (@joekennedy) July 1, 2019
In a thread of tweets, Kennedy called the facilities "inadequate" and said, "the entire system is broken, rotten and rife with abuse."
The trip was organized by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
The Trump Administration has come under fire for reported overcrowded and deplorable conditions at the centers. It has denied accusations that children were mistreated.
Congress hopes to have a compromise on an emergency aid bill before the July 4 recess.