There are more than 14 thousands of immigrant children in ICE's

More 14 000 immigrant children spent Christmas at government illegal immigrants in the United States.

Фото: Depositphotos

Many children detained by the federal government spent Christmas outside and without families, writes Time.

Representatives of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) and the Department of Health and Social Services (HHS) reported that during the holidays they provided families and children with traditional conditions for the celebration, as well as religious services.

However, severe restrictions on visits make it difficult to independently verify the actual conditions of illegal immigrants and festive events for them.

In addition to the activities of federal agencies for the holidays, many groups of human rights defenders, overcoming tough restrictions, give detainees gifts and Christmas cards.

ICE spokeswoman Daniel Bennett said that the agency regularly provides religious services to families with children. ICE facilities do not accommodate unaccompanied children. Bennett said that this Christmas, the ICE held special Christmas-themed events for families at their detention centers.

“To celebrate Christmas, ICE detention centers have organized a number of special events, additional religious services and treats for children currently housed in immigration detention centers,” Bennett said in a statement.

“Every center was decorated with Christmas decorations, especially in residential and medical facilities, cafeterias and common areas. A New Year tree is installed at each facility. The school of one of the institutions staged a Christmas performance. The facilities have increased arts and crafts hours so children can make paper ornaments, cards and Christmas gifts,” the ICE spokeswoman added.

The Refugees Resettlement Authority, which is controlled by HHS, is responsible for keeping juveniles illegally entering the United States without an adult escort. HHS officials said that during holidays, shelters for migrant children are holding "festive events that are age-appropriate, including arts and crafts classes and watching special New Year's television programs and films."

HHS shared a New Year's schedule at the content center in Tornillo, Texas, the festivities there began on December 16 and continued until Christmas. HHS stated that workers provide children, the vast majority of whom are Hispanic, with traditional food and allow them to follow festive traditions that fit their culture. In addition, a holiday dinner and a church service were organized for the children, as well as gifts were presented.

There are no more details about the celebrations, since almost all employees responsible for public relations left their jobs because of the shatdaun.

The number of arrests at the US border has increased markedly: in November, more than 25 families (this classification includes children and their accompanying parent or parent) were apprehended at the border - almost four times more than during the same period last year. These are predominantly families from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras who are seeking asylum or protection in the United States.

Additionally, as the number of immigrant minors increases, so does the amount of time they spend in 137 shelters across the United States. The average time unaccompanied minors spent in shelters in 2016 was 40 days, according to federal data. In 2018 - 59 days.

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