The Biden administration has reopened a detention facility located in Carrizo Springs, TX. The site, which was closed in 2019 after a surge of unaccompanied minors, was run by the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than the Department of Homeland Security. This faced public criticism for how they ran their detention centers. The building has a capacity of 700 minors ages 13-17. The reason being that this facility in particular reopened as an emergency response measure in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. 

However, Democrats and activists have condemned Biden’s decision and some have made it clear that they want it closed, and never to be reopened. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) have reprimanded Biden for reopening the facility. The decision resulted in an outcry of Democrats calling for President Biden and Vice President Harris to reform former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. “This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay – no matter the administration or party.” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. Additionally, this has gotten more attention from the nation. “Kids need a place to call home – that’s why they should be with their families, friends, and community members; this in the child’s best interests. Children must only be held in Border Patrol stations for the bare minimum time, and certainly not for more than 72 hours, which are wholly inappropriate spaces for them, and they must continue to have access to safety in the United States.” Dennis Bell, a researcher for refugee and migrant rights at Amnesty International of The United States stated. 

“Our hope and expectation is that it that it won’t stay open very long, that we will be able to provide for every kid that comes across the border to safely be housed in a facility that is licensed,” Biden said in an interview with Univision regarding the situation. Additionally, First lady Jill Biden, stated that it’s very important to the administration that the children are to be treated in a humane way. “We want to make sure these children are safe,” she said, “that they get mental health services, they get physical health services, they get education.” 

However, new data shows that the process of reuniting these unaccompanied children is starting to become more difficult. With this being such a new development, those of interest might keep a closer look at the situation.