The Biden administration Tuesday finally released photos of the heart-wrenching conditions migrant children are being forced to live in at US detention centers — but only after intense pressure amid the crisis.
US Customs and Border Protection put out the disturbing snapshots, which show scores of minors who crossed the Mexico border without an adult in detention in plastic-shrouded rooms crammed together on floor mats.
Another picture reveals a toddler laying alone on a floor mat inside a row of pink and purple kiddie gates looking up at a man in a face mask and black shirt.
“CBP continues to transfer unaccompanied minors to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as quickly and efficiently as possible after they are apprehended on the Southwest Border,’’ the agency said in a statement.
“In order to protect the health and safety of our workforce and those in our care, we continue to discourage external visitors in our facilities; however, CBP is working to balance the need for public transparency and accountability.”
The White House is struggling under the massive flood of illegal immigrants crossing the US’ southern border with Mexico — a surge attributed to President Biden’s roll-back of predecessor President Donald Trump’s more restrictive measures.
The migration avalanche includes about 15,000 children without parents — and Biden is refusing to send any of the kids immediately back, creating logistical chaos.
His administration also has been under fire for refusing to allow journalists access to the sites — including the makeshift detention facility in Donna, Texas, where the CBP photos were taken.
It’s the same center where distressing snaps surfaced from for the first time Monday — courtesy of Democratic Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar.
Cuellar has told Axios that the weekend pics revealed the “terrible conditions for the children’’ — and urged the government to quickly move the kids from the inhumane centers into the care of the federal Health and Human Services agency, as per the law.
While US law requires unaccompanied children to be moved from CPB to HHS care within 72 hours, the border crisis has left some of these minors reportedly languishing in these facilities for up to 10 days.
The White House has refused to even call the dire situation a crisis — although Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday at least admitted the facilities are “not places made for children.”