Immigrant children in Virginia claim shocking abuse, falsely labeled as "MS-13"

[UNCjigga]

Immigrant children as young as 14 housed at a juvenile detention center in Virginia say they were beaten while handcuffed and locked up for long periods in solitary confinement, left nude and shivering in concrete cells.

Welp, it was only a matter of time before allegations started to fly. These are kids who've been detained in Virginia for months or years, not the recent influx of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. All the more reason why the 2,300 kids stripped from their parents (and potentially as many as 6,000 "lost" children) need to be reunited with their families and/or sent back to their home countries.

I find this part disturbing:

"Many of the children were sent there after U.S. immigration authorities accused them of belonging to violent gangs, including MS-13. President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited gang activity as justification for his crackdown on illegal immigration.

Trump said Wednesday that "our Border Patrol agents and our ICE agents have done one great job" cracking down on MS-13 gang members. "We're throwing them out by the thousands," he said.

But a top manager at the Shenandoah center said during a recent congressional hearing that the children did not appear to be gang members and were suffering from mental health issues resulting from trauma that happened in their home countries — problems the detention facility is ill-equipped to treat.

"The youth were being screened as gang-involved individuals. And then when they came into our care, and they were assessed by our clinical and case management staff ... they weren't necessarily identified as gang-involved individuals," said Kelsey Wong, a program director at the facility. She testified April 26 before a Senate subcommittee reviewing the treatment of immigrant children apprehended by the Homeland Security Department."
...
The Shenandoah detention center was built by a coalition of seven nearby towns and counties to lock up local kids charged with serious crimes. Since 2007, about half the 58 beds are occupied by both male and female immigrants between the ages of 12 and 17 facing deportation proceedings or awaiting rulings on asylum claims. Though incarcerated in a facility similar to a prison, the children detained on administrative immigration charges have not yet been convicted of any crime.


Virginia ranks among the worst states in the nation for wait times in federal immigration courts, with an average of 806 days before a ruling. Nationally, only about half of juveniles facing deportation are represented by a lawyer, according to Justice Department data.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...lege-mistreatment-detention-center/720773002/

 

[hal2kilo]

Welp, it was only a matter of time before allegations started to fly. These are kids who've been detained in Virginia for months or years, not the recent influx of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers. All the more reason why the 2,300 kids stripped from their parents (and potentially as many as 6,000 "lost" children) need to be reunited with their families and/or sent back to their home countries.

I find this part disturbing:

"Many of the children were sent there after U.S. immigration authorities accused them of belonging to violent gangs, including MS-13. President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited gang activity as justification for his crackdown on illegal immigration.

Trump said Wednesday that "our Border Patrol agents and our ICE agents have done one great job" cracking down on MS-13 gang members. "We're throwing them out by the thousands," he said.

But a top manager at the Shenandoah center said during a recent congressional hearing that the children did not appear to be gang members and were suffering from mental health issues resulting from trauma that happened in their home countries — problems the detention facility is ill-equipped to treat.

"The youth were being screened as gang-involved individuals. And then when they came into our care, and they were assessed by our clinical and case management staff ... they weren't necessarily identified as gang-involved individuals," said Kelsey Wong, a program director at the facility. She testified April 26 before a Senate subcommittee reviewing the treatment of immigrant children apprehended by the Homeland Security Department."
...
The Shenandoah detention center was built by a coalition of seven nearby towns and counties to lock up local kids charged with serious crimes. Since 2007, about half the 58 beds are occupied by both male and female immigrants between the ages of 12 and 17 facing deportation proceedings or awaiting rulings on asylum claims. Though incarcerated in a facility similar to a prison, the children detained on administrative immigration charges have not yet been convicted of any crime.


Virginia ranks among the worst states in the nation for wait times in federal immigration courts, with an average of 806 days before a ruling. Nationally, only about half of juveniles facing deportation are represented by a lawyer, according to Justice Department data.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...lege-mistreatment-detention-center/720773002/

So easy to abuse the defenseless.

 

[ch33zw1z]

@glenn1 - can I get a womp womp?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

@glenn1 - can I get a womp womp?

There's been a lot of womp womps in terms of who gives a fuck.

http://www.businessinsider.com/migr...gged-abused-in-us-government-detention-2018-6

But these centers continue to receive funding from the US government to care for migrant children who are considered unaccompanied minors. An investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal website published Wednesday found that in the past four years, nearly half of the $3.4 billion paid to private companies that house migrant children went to 13 "operating homes facing serious allegations of child mistreatment."

No one cared, really.

 

[ch33zw1z]

There's been a lot of womp womps in terms of who gives a fuck.

http://www.businessinsider.com/migr...gged-abused-in-us-government-detention-2018-6

But these centers continue to receive funding from the US government to care for migrant children who are considered unaccompanied minors. An investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal website published Wednesday found that in the past four years, nearly half of the $3.4 billion paid to private companies that house migrant children went to 13 "operating homes facing serious allegations of child mistreatment."

No one cared, really.

Hence the womp womp, why start now?

 

[Commodus]

It's important to stress that this problem didn't start with Trump. This is not to let Trump off the hook for worsening things, but rather to acknowledge that horrible treatment of immigrants has been a systemic problem for a while and needs to be addressed. Getting Trump and the current batch of Republicans out of office is the first step to making things better.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Hence the womp womp, why start now?

These people are like the Dr. Who Weeping Angels. Once you take your eyes from them bad things happen.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

It's important to stress that this problem didn't start with Trump. This is not to let Trump off the hook for worsening things, but rather to acknowledge that horrible treatment of immigrants has been a systemic problem for a while and needs to be addressed. Getting Trump and the current batch of Republicans out of office is the first step to making things better.

Understand that this implicates everyone for at least 4 years. I'm sure the whataboutist bothsiders will bitch, but where was the last administration in this?

Yes get the Republicans out, absolutely, but that does NOT mean this abuse will end as it might just go the route of "well people have so much to do and we want to unite so this must take a back burner. We'll get around to it some day".

 

[brycejones]

@glenn1 - can I get a womp womp?

Let me take a run at it:

Extradite their parents from their home countries or arrest them here and charge them child endangerment for sending them to the US in the first place. Any assaults they have suffered during their detention will be charged to the parents as well since they couldn't have happened if they hadn't sent their kids to the US.

In the event of being unable to locate the parents find and arrest the nearest relative over 18.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Understand that this implicates everyone for at least 4 years. I'm sure the whataboutist bothsiders will bitch, but where was the last administration in this?

Yes get the Republicans out, absolutely, but that does NOT mean this abuse will end as it might just go the route of "well people have so much to do and we want to unite so this must take a back burner. We'll get around to it some day".

Let's get some light on it and fix it. I agree with that. We are definitely not the beacon of hope that we once wanted other countries to see us as. Quite sad.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Let's get some light on it and fix it. I agree with that. We are definitely not the beacon of hope that we once wanted other countries to see us as. Quite sad.

I wonder when we were last worthy as being seen as a beacon? One thing Trump has done is provide motivation for ourselves to inspect what our nation has become. Most will go partisan, but not all. You and I and others are awake to the fact that this is wrong, that there are many wrongs, and "but but"- nevermind the buts. Fix this or GTFO

 

[Commodus]

Understand that this implicates everyone for at least 4 years. I'm sure the whataboutist bothsiders will bitch, but where was the last administration in this?

Yes get the Republicans out, absolutely, but that does NOT mean this abuse will end as it might just go the route of "well people have so much to do and we want to unite so this must take a back burner. We'll get around to it some day".

Oh, for sure. My point was that the Obama administration shouldn't get a free pass, but also that the problem definitely isn't going to be fixed so long as you have a President that actively seeks to hurt immigrants and a Republican party that at best tolerates him and at worst cheers him on.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Oh, for sure. My point was that the Obama administration shouldn't get a free pass, but also that the problem definitely isn't going to be fixed so long as you have a President that actively seeks to hurt immigrants and a Republican party that at best tolerates him and at worst cheers him on.

I absolutely agree. Not that we want Trump, but there's some positive fallout and that would be an increasing awareness that it isn't that parties nor our Representatives we should trust to remain vigilant, but ourselves. That requires us holding everyone in power accountable, not making excuses or accusations depending on loyalty to party, but what we stand for and against.

Maybe a little good can come from tragedy.

 

[HomerJS]

Oh, for sure. My point was that the Obama administration shouldn't get a free pass, but also that the problem definitely isn't going to be fixed so long as you have a President that actively seeks to hurt immigrants of color and a Republican party that at best tolerates him and at worst cheers him on.

FTFY

 

[darkswordsman17]

There's been a lot of womp womps in terms of who gives a fuck.

http://www.businessinsider.com/migr...gged-abused-in-us-government-detention-2018-6

But these centers continue to receive funding from the US government to care for migrant children who are considered unaccompanied minors. An investigation by the Center for Investigative Reporting's Reveal website published Wednesday found that in the past four years, nearly half of the $3.4 billion paid to private companies that house migrant children went to 13 "operating homes facing serious allegations of child mistreatment."

No one cared, really.

Uh, so I take it you didn't actually read that article, did you? Its been a problem for more than 4 years, its just that its been hugely expanded in the past 4 years. The reason why they're talking about this now, is because those children that the current administration are separating from their parents are being sent to these fucking places.

You want to know who has the say in this program though? Congress. And who has been in control of Congress during the time frame you're so keen to point out? Not only that, but the "privatize it!" model, hmm, which party has been the one pushing that? And shown a lack of care for actually regulating and/or providing oversight for privatized companies?

Also, that article is...odd. According to Wikipedia (that is using legit sources, meaning official government ones regarding this program), Texas is trying to pass the buck, this program is setup so that the states actually hand out the deals, the federal government just subsidizes it (it pays out $2 for every $1 the state spends towards this). It also specifically says that states are responsible for these children.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Refugee_Resettlement

The ORR receives an appropriation from Congress each year with some specifications on allotments for each division, and divides the allotment among its programs. These programs then appropriate the money to their partnering agencies in the form of grants, following specified formula guidelines. States ultimately hold the responsibility for carrying out the ORR’s mission:

“Federal resettlement assistance to refugees is provided primarily through the state-administered refugee resettlement program. States provide transitional cash and medical assistance and social services, as well as maintain legal responsibility for the care of unaccompanied refugee children."[5] The ORR uses a matching grant program to provide funding for its affiliate voluntary agencies. These voluntary agencies are then expected to operate the program through their national networks. The ORR “awards $2 for every $1 raised by the agency up to a maximum of $2,200 in Federal funds per enrollee. Note that while federal and match funds are calculated on a per capita or client basis, the actual spending of such funds is not per capita based."[9]

Now, perhaps its that voluntary agency part at play here, but that still says the states are responsible for these children.

You're speaking for yourself with that last bit as evidenced with your lack of actually doing any of the things you expect others to do.

Understand that this implicates everyone for at least 4 years. I'm sure the whataboutist bothsiders will bitch, but where was the last administration in this?

Yes get the Republicans out, absolutely, but that does NOT mean this abuse will end as it might just go the route of "well people have so much to do and we want to unite so this must take a back burner. We'll get around to it some day".

People will bitch because you're paying lip service to this being largely in control of the Republicans, and looking to shift blame to the Democrats. Oh, and also because you apparently are only willing to be informed enough to go "well Obama too!" Seriously, the fucking article you linked shows that you're absolutely doing exactly what you're fucking bitching about. If you're so concerned, why can't you be bothered to read your own fucking article?

Indeed, with fine upstanding people like you to stop giving a fuck before even reading an article you link, there's a good chance this will get put on the back burner.

I absolutely agree. Not that we want Trump, but there's some positive fallout and that would be an increasing awareness that it isn't that parties nor our Representatives we should trust to remain vigilant, but ourselves. That requires us holding everyone in power accountable, not making excuses or accusations depending on loyalty to party, but what we stand for and against.

Maybe a little good can come from tragedy.

Don't forget to hold yourself accountable too, like you know, actually knowing what the fuck the situation is. Weird for you to be chastising others on this and talking about being vigilant when you can't even be bothered to read your own article, let alone do more research than what it contained.

Lastly, yeah, most people already knew to be holding people accountable, not sure why you're acting like that's some epiphany that we needed to be going through.

 

[interchange]

I have a feeling that more people are being directly harmed as a result of Trump's invoking MS-13 than any actual kids crossing the border joining MS-13 are doing.

 

[Jaskalas]

- nevermind the buts. Fix this or GTFO

Don't forget to hold yourself accountable too...

As the man said, fix this or GTFO.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Uh, so I take it you didn't actually read that article, did you? Its been a problem for more than 4 years, its just that its been hugely expanded in the past 4 years. The reason why they're talking about this now, is because those children that the current administration are separating from their parents are being sent to these fucking places.

You want to know who has the say in this program though? Congress. And who has been in control of Congress during the time frame you're so keen to point out? Not only that, but the "privatize it!" model, hmm, which party has been the one pushing that? And shown a lack of care for actually regulating and/or providing oversight for privatized companies?

Also, that article is...odd. According to Wikipedia (that is using legit sources, meaning official government ones regarding this program), Texas is trying to pass the buck, this program is setup so that the states actually hand out the deals, the federal government just subsidizes it (it pays out $2 for every $1 the state spends towards this). It also specifically says that states are responsible for these children.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Refugee_Resettlement



Now, perhaps its that voluntary agency part at play here, but that still says the states are responsible for these children.

You're speaking for yourself with that last bit as evidenced with your lack of actually doing any of the things you expect others to do.



People will bitch because you're paying lip service to this being largely in control of the Republicans, and looking to shift blame to the Democrats. Oh, and also because you apparently are only willing to be informed enough to go "well Obama too!" Seriously, the fucking article you linked shows that you're absolutely doing exactly what you're fucking bitching about. If you're so concerned, why can't you be bothered to read your own fucking article?

Indeed, with fine upstanding people like you to stop giving a fuck before even reading an article you link, there's a good chance this will get put on the back burner.



Don't forget to hold yourself accountable too, like you know, actually knowing what the fuck the situation is. Weird for you to be chastising others on this and talking about being vigilant when you can't even be bothered to read your own article, let alone do more research than what it contained.

Lastly, yeah, most people already knew to be holding people accountable, not sure why you're acting like that's some epiphany that we needed to be going through.

I forget where that was an issue taken up before Trump. Perhaps we didn't know?

 

[Jaskalas]

I forget where that was an issue taken up before Trump. Perhaps we didn't know?

Child immigrant crisis before Trump? Yeah, 2014. We knew.

• http://dailycaller.com/2018/06/19/photos-obama-immigration-detention-facilities/
• ICE dumping thousands of illegal kids in Arizona. abandoned without food and water
• What was the 2014 child and family migrant crisis?
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/07/15/us/questions-about-the-border-kids.html

 

[JSt0rm]

I absolutely agree. Not that we want Trump, but there's some positive fallout and that would be an increasing awareness that it isn't that parties nor our Representatives we should trust to remain vigilant, but ourselves. That requires us holding everyone in power accountable, not making excuses or accusations depending on loyalty to party, but what we stand for and against.

Maybe a little good can come from tragedy.

oh you stopped defending this shit? Thats nice.