Trump's administration cancels English courses and sports activities in shelters for illegal children

The administration of US President Donald Trump cancels English classes, entertainment programs and legal assistance for unaccompanied juveniles in federal shelters for immigrants throughout the country.

Фото: Depositphotos

The officials explained this by the fact that the immigration influx on the southern border created critical pressure on the budget, writes The Washington Post.

The Office of Refugee Resettlement has begun cutting off funding for activities, including sports, that are deemed "not directly necessary to protect the lives and safety of immigrants, including educational services, legal services and recreation," explained a spokesperson for the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS). ) Mark Weber.

Federal officials warned Congress about the threat of a "sharp surge" in the number of unaccompanied minors at the southern border, and asked Congress to allocate $ 9 billion in emergency funding to expand their housing and care programs. According to Weber, the financial support of the content of this group of illegal immigrants may end at the end of June, and the agency is legally obliged to direct funding to basic services that are necessary to protect the life and safety of immigrants.

On the subject: The House of Representatives passed a bill providing a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants.

This step, which HHS officials reported to an illegal child shelter last week in an e-mail, may be contrary to the decision of the federal court and state licensing of such shelters, which provide for compulsory education and leisure activities for minors in federal custody.

Carlos Holgain, a lawyer representing the interests of minors in a lengthy lawsuit who, in 1997, set the basic standards for caring for children in custody in the year, immediately called this decision by the Trump administration illegal.

“We will meet them in court if they agree to this. What's next? Drinking water? Nutrition? Where are they going to stay?,” the lawyer said.

After crossing the southern US border this year, more than 40 800 unaccompanied children were placed in HHS custody, which is 57% more than in the same period last year, the largest number of minors in the history of the program. Federal law requires the Department of Homeland Security to move unaccompanied minors from strict border prisons to shelters that are more suitable for children, and the agency should do so quickly.

On the subject: Will grow every month: Trump imposes duties on Mexican goods to fight illegal immigrants

According to HHS, in April, federal orphanages around the country contained about 12 500 children and adolescents. They stayed in the shelter for an average of 48 days until they found a sponsor or relative to whom the child moved. While waiting in shelters, minors attend school, learn math and English, and participate in extracurricular activities such as ping-pong, football, or other sports.

Most of the minors are teenagers fleeing violence and poverty in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

HHS official 30 May sent an email to juvenile shelters for illegal immigrants across the country, informing them that the government would not pay for educational or recreational activities that took place after 22 May, including related personnel costs. The official described these costs as "unacceptable".

According to Holgain, schoolwork and exercise are “the foundation of youth care.”

On the subject: On the border of the USA, a group of illegal immigrants was the largest in number

An employee of the shelter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the budget cuts made by the Trump administration alarmed the workers, who fear that the quality of child care will suffer. A staff member said that learning and playing sports are crucial to maintaining physical and mental health while children are in detention.

“What will they do all day? If they don't do any organized recreation or exercise, what will they do, just sit in their rooms?,” said a shelter official.

Trump declared a state of emergency on the southern US border in February due to a record number of families and unaccompanied minors illegally crossing the border.

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