AOC vs. Joe Biden's migrant detention camps

[lpetrich]

First migrant facility for children opens under Biden in Carrizo, Texas - The Washington Post

Dozens of migrant teens boarded vans Monday for the trip down a dusty road to a former man camp for oil field workers here, the first migrant child facility opened under the Biden administration.

The emergency facility — a vestige of the Trump administration that was open for only a month in summer 2019 — is being reactivated to hold up to 700 children ages 13 to 17.

Government officials say the camp is needed because facilities for migrant children have had to cut capacity by nearly half because of the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the number of unaccompanied children crossing the border has been inching up, with January reporting the highest total — more than 5,700 apprehensions — for that month in recent years.

But immigration lawyers and advocates question why the Biden administration would choose to reopen a Trump-era facility that was the source of protests and controversy. From the “tent city” in Tornillo, Tex., to a sprawling for-profit facility in Homestead, Fla., emergency shelters have been criticized by advocates for immigrants, lawyers and human rights activists over their conditions, cost and lack of transparency in their operations.

 

[lpetrich]

AOC has had a history of opposing such camps. A few days before her first primary election in 2018, she visited the Tornillo TX camp with some other activists, and in the middle of 2019, she and some other Congresspeople visited some detention camps.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay - no matter the administration or party." / Twitter

This is not okay, never has been okay, never will be okay - no matter the administration or party.

Our immigration system is built on a carceral framework. It’s no accident that challenging how we approach both these issues are considered “controversial” stances.

They require reimagining our relationship to each other and challenging common assumptions we take for granted.

It’s only 2 mos into this admin & our fraught, unjust immigration system will not transform in that time.

That’s why bold reimagination is so impt.

DHS shouldn’t exist, agencies should be reorganized, ICE gotta go, ban for-profit detention, create climate refugee status & more.

She got this response
yensidleanna1973 on Twitter: "@AOC And again I have to ask where would you like the unaccompanied children to go? Where should they be housed as the process is started? I am appalled with what trump did. I am not proud of our current immigration system, but I don’t want these kids on the street either." / Twitter
Then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "@YensidLeanna46 An immediate improvement would be to require influx facilities w/ children to be licensed. ..." / Twitter

An immediate improvement would be to require influx facilities w/ children to be licensed.

Another issue is whether these services should be contracted out the way they currently are to begin with

And whether facilities w/ controversial records (eg Homestead) should be reopened

 

[Gospel]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

 

[lpetrich]

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Sometimes I see people respond to our current immigration policy with “Well, what else can we do?”

There’s a lot we can do.

To start, @RepJayapal has led on the Roadmap to Freedom, a framework for urgently needed changes to US immigration policy: (link)" / Twitter
noting
Jayapal, AOC and progressive Democrats push ‘overhaul’ of US immigration system | The Independent

US House Rep Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Progressive Caucus, has drafted a Roadmap to Freedom resolution with immigration advocates that outlines a “bold, progressive, visionary north star for what humane immigration policy looks like”, she told reporters on Wednesday.

The five-pronged resolution endorsed by more than 60 civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups centres on family unity, immigrants’ access to social services, protections for front line workers, ending police militarisation in border communities, and alternatives to detention and deportation.

“We are not simply reversing the hateful immigration policies of the last four years,” Rep Jayapal said.

The nation’s “racist, xenophobic immigration system has been broken for decades,” she added. “We need to finally leave the nation’s long history of criminalizing immigration and leaving families behind.”

Roadmap-to-Freedom-Resolution_Final.pdf - at Rep. Jayapal's Congressional site

 

[lpetrich]

Someone brought up this issue:
(((Andrew Winston))) on Twitter: "@AOC @IndivisibleTeam Even if we stop separating kids from parents (which god i hope we did), aren't there minors arriving unaccompanied? And the thousands that Trump stranded?

What's the right path for them? Won't there have to be some form of gov't housing til permanent solutions can be found?" / Twitter

Then
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "1 short term shift is requiring influx facilities w/ children to be licensed.

Another issue is whether these services should be contracted out the way they are

And whether facilities w/ controversial records (ex. Homestead) should even be reopened" / Twitter

She got responses like
Donna Imam on Twitter: "@AOC The humane solution is to place unaccompanied minors in foster care until their cases are adjudicated and they are permanently placed with their sponsors." / Twitter

Josey Jollenberg on Twitter: "@AOC Anyone who spent time in an ice facility deserves their choice of being granted citizenship or given travel to a country of their choice. anyone who is separated from their children should be in a nice hotel while the country tries it's best to fix this violation of human rights." / Twitter

 

[ZiprHead]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

These are unaccompanied children, not children separated from their parents by the government.

 

[Jarhyn]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

These are unaccompanied children, not children separated from their parents by the government.

Let it sink in for a moment...

Parents are sending their children across the border alone to be arrested and detained should they be apprehended, on account of knowing it's better their children risk being arrested and apprehended in America alone than they as parents being arrested here too, and separated that way.

The latter is actually a knock-on effect of the genocidal treatment of immigrants under tRump

 

[ZiprHead]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

These are unaccompanied children, not children separated from their parents by the government.

Let it sink in for a moment...

Parents are sending their children across the border alone to be arrested and detained should they be apprehended, on account of knowing it's better their children risk being arrested and apprehended in America alone than they as parents being arrested here too, and separated that way.

The latter is actually a knock-on effect of the genocidal treatment of immigrants under tRump

I'm just hoping they're being treated better than they were under bonespurs, like sleeping on concrete floors with nothing but a space blanket. Getting actual beds and blankets.

 

[Gospel]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

These are unaccompanied children, not children separated from their parents by the government.

I'm aware of that, it's yet to be seen how the immigration process will be changed (if at all) under Biden. I have my hopes up but right now as I said the only thing separating him from Trump is how they administratively tweak the process that's been in place for some time now.

 

[Jarhyn]

Let it sink in for a moment...

Parents are sending their children across the border alone to be arrested and detained should they be apprehended, on account of knowing it's better their children risk being arrested and apprehended in America alone than they as parents being arrested here too, and separated that way.

The latter is actually a knock-on effect of the genocidal treatment of immigrants under tRump

I'm just hoping they're being treated better than they were under bonespurs, like sleeping on concrete floors with nothing but a space blanket. Getting actual beds and blankets.

I certainly hope so, too. This is a terrible tragedy. I would rather have a family of three come to the US than a child alone. A family of three has two parents capable of contributing to the economy, and the child has an opportunity to meaningfully seek education and themselves be productive and happy.

A homeless child has far worse prospects and contributes little to society until they are grown up.

 

[SimpleDon]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

The Biden administration released the information long held by the Trump administration that in one month allowed the parents of 150 children who had been separated from their parents to be found. You have the choice, you can applaud the 150 or you can point out the probable thousand children who haven't found their parents. I think that the current administration would agree with you either way.

But this isn't the children who AOC is talking about. They are the children who showed up at the border alone. Obviously, these children would be better off with any relatives in the US or in foster care. I want to hear what the plans are for these children in the long term, which I hope will be considerably different than they were in the previous administration.

 

[Jarhyn]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

The Biden administration released the information long held by the Trump administration that in one month allowed the parents of 150 children who had been separated from their parents to be found. You have the choice, you can applaud the 150 or you can point out the probable thousand children who haven't found their parents. I think that the current administration would agree with you either way.

But this isn't the children who AOC is talking about. They are the children who showed up at the border alone. Obviously, these children would be better off with any relatives in the US or in foster care. I want to hear what the plans are for these children in the long term, which I hope will be considerably different than they were in the previous administration.

As a warning, foster care in the US is not exactly what I would call a good environment for anyone, let alone undocumented children.

Foster care almost killed me at least once, and I don't want to think what it did to my brother, nor my sister, who are both severely fucked up from the experience.

Relatives, or vetted sponsor families could possibly do a good job. But trusting the foster system is a recipe for human trafficking, child labor, and exploitation of all stripes.

 

[Gospel]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

The Biden administration released the information long held by the Trump administration that in one month allowed the parents of 150 children who had been separated from their parents to be found. You have the choice, you can applaud the 150 or you can point out the probable thousand children who haven't found their parents. I think that the current administration would agree with you.

But this isn't the children who AOC is talking about. They are the children who showed up at the border alone. Obviously, these children would be better off with any relatives in the US or in foster care. I want to hear what the plans are for these children in the long term, which I hope will be considerably different than they were in the previous administration.

No disagreement here. The Problem is relatives and foster care while it would net better results wouldn't be a clear cut solution as problems may arise there as well. I think if the US stops screwing things up in places these people are running from that would help as well. It's a very complex issue that my little pea brain can't process & it's moved from Administration to Administration with one big time nut job in the chain.

 

[ZiprHead]

Federal judge indefinitely blocks Biden administration's 100-day moratorium on most deportations

Houston — A federal judge late Tuesday indefinitely banned President Joe Biden's administration from enforcing a 100-day moratorium on most deportations. U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton issued a preliminary injunction sought by Texas, which argued the moratorium violated federal law and risked imposing additional costs on the state.

Mr. Biden proposed the 100-day pause on deportations during his campaign as part of a larger review of immigration enforcement and an attempt to reverse the priorities of former President Donald Trump.

Mr. Biden has proposed a sweeping immigration bill that would allow the legalization of an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. He has also instituted other guidelines on who immigration and border agents should target for enforcement.

 

[SimpleDon]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

The Biden administration released the information long held by the Trump administration that in one month allowed the parents of 150 children who had been separated from their parents to be found. You have the choice, you can applaud the 150 or you can point out the probable thousand children who haven't found their parents. I think that the current administration would agree with you either way.

But this isn't the children who AOC is talking about. They are the children who showed up at the border alone. Obviously, these children would be better off with any relatives in the US or in foster care. I want to hear what the plans are for these children in the long term, which I hope will be considerably different than they were in the previous administration.

As a warning, foster care in the US is not exactly what I would call a good environment for anyone, let alone undocumented children.

Foster care almost killed me at least once, and I don't want to think what it did to my brother, nor my sister, who are both severely fucked up from the experience.

Relatives or vetted sponsor families could possibly do a good job. But trusting the foster system is a recipe for human trafficking, child labor, and exploitation of all stripes.

If these abuses are widespread then they should be corrected irrespective of the impact on immigration. Why don't you start a thread on the subject? I don't have any knowledge about this and would be interested in it. I am sorry for your experience with the institution.

 

[SimpleDon]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

The Biden administration released the information long held by the Trump administration that in one month allowed the parents of 150 children who had been separated from their parents to be found. You have the choice, you can applaud the 150 or you can point out the probable thousand children who haven't found their parents. I think that the current administration would agree with you.

But this isn't the children who AOC is talking about. They are the children who showed up at the border alone. Obviously, these children would be better off with any relatives in the US or in foster care. I want to hear what the plans are for these children in the long term, which I hope will be considerably different than they were in the previous administration.

No disagreement here. The Problem is relatives and foster care while it would net better results wouldn't be a clear cut solution as problems may arise there as well. I think if the US stops screwing things up in places these people are running from that would help as well. It's a very complex issue that my little pea brain can't process & it's moved from Administration to Administration with one big time nut job in the chain.

Yes, I have been told by Jarhyn. That foster care may be worse than the Hanoi Hilton. This is something that has to be looked into separately. However, foster care is a state and local government function. I don't think that they will welcome the federal government's intrusion into the many different systems. Perhaps the federal government could be more selective in the foster care systems it places the children in and separately monitors them. This is a master shitshow decades building that will require time, money, and changes in laws to correct.

 

[Jarhyn]

As a warning, foster care in the US is not exactly what I would call a good environment for anyone, let alone undocumented children.

Foster care almost killed me at least once, and I don't want to think what it did to my brother, nor my sister, who are both severely fucked up from the experience.

Relatives or vetted sponsor families could possibly do a good job. But trusting the foster system is a recipe for human trafficking, child labor, and exploitation of all stripes.

If these abuses are widespread then they should be corrected irrespective of the impact on immigration. Why don't you start a thread on the subject? I don't have any knowledge about this and would be interested in it. I am sorry for your experience with the institution.

There's not much to it really the system is broken for one very significant reason: less scrutiny is put into foster care because it's an expensive and thankless task that often puts foster parents in a conflict of interest between "their" kids and "children of the state". As such, there's more demand for foster parents than there are suitable parents to foster the children who need homes, and less scrutiny into the program than it deserves.

Moreover, these children are often the product of broken, abusive, or abjectly poor homes. They are more work, often seen as "damaged goods", further leading to the degradation of the foster care program and influencing the tenor of those who join it.

The end result is a system unfortunately full of borderline and actual abusers, who treat the kids more as a revolcing basis for a paycheck than as actual human beings, assuming they aren't just selling them into slavery and claiming they "ran off".

 

[southernhybrid]

I read the entire article and it appears to me as if AOC is over reacting. In the first place, this is only a temporary holding facility for unaccompanied teenagers, not young children. There were photos in the article. It looked like the facility was well stocked, and clean. There were bunk beds for the teenagers to sleep, desks and educational materials to help with their education. The staff wore name tags that also identified their positions, so that the teenagers would know who to ask if they had a question or needed help. Teens are held for about 30 days until they can be placed. I assume they are either united with their sponsors or placed in foster care.

Biden has already reunited about 160 children with their parents. Those were the children that were victims of Trump's horrible handling of children who were immigrants. Biden's administration is working to unite all of these children with their parents. The teenagers in the holding facility are all being identified so they won't be lost in the system, or lack of system. It sounds like this administration is off to a good start.

What exactly would be AOC's solution to this challenging situation? Would she let them go and wander on the streets, lost and homeless? Would she magically line up enough qualified foster parents to care for them? AOC is getting nuttier. I respect her values but she is becoming extremely unrealistic. She does some wonderful things like raising money for those impacted by the Texas power outage, but I do wish she would think more before she starts tweeting. And, if she has a problem with something that the nearly new administration is doing, she could at least come up with some workable solutions and bring them to the attention of the Biden administration and the Speaker of the House. Tweeting criticisms of a new president in her own party, during the most difficult time in my 71 years of life, is detremental to progress.

If she has a realistic plan, does anyone know what it is? Biden has been president for less than 40 days. Be patient! Express some realistic solutions, and stop Tweeting!

And, I read the prior post. I agree that foster care isn't the greatest solution, although there may be people who volunteer to foster some of these teenagers out of the goodness of their hearts, including former immigrants who have now become citizens. Regardless, all of these things take time.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

With unaccompanied children the government doesn't have a choice--it would be illegal to release them other than to a parent or appropriate guardian. They'll end up in foster care if there isn't a parent or guardian, but whatever is done takes time.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I thought the only difference between Trump and Biden on immigration was the separation of children from their parents.

Edit: Oh and Trump basically turning as many away as possible or delaying the process for as long as possible.

These are unaccompanied children, not children separated from their parents by the government.

Let it sink in for a moment...

Parents are sending their children across the border alone to be arrested and detained should they be apprehended, on account of knowing it's better their children risk being arrested and apprehended in America alone than they as parents being arrested here too, and separated that way.

The latter is actually a knock-on effect of the genocidal treatment of immigrants under tRump

No, the problem is mostly a differing standard on adulthood. Most of these "children" are 16 or 17 and are functioning independently. The parents are either here or back home, not traveling separately. (And with the younger kids they're almost certainly in the company of someone looking out for them, it's just the person isn't a parent/legal guardian.)