Homestead Camp Holds Too Many Kids to Safely Accommodate in a Hurricane
The nation's largest facility for unaccompanied immigrant children is holding more kids than it can safely accommodate during a low-category hurricane. That's what Homestead officials told a delegation from Amnesty International during a tour of the facility earlier today.
More than 1,700 kids are being held at the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children. But facility officials believe they can safely house house only 1,200 in the event of a tropical storm or low-level hurricane, according to Amnesty International USA executive director Margaret Huang. In the event of a high-category storm, officials told Huang, the detention center would have to be evacuated.
Officials did not offer details about how they came up with the 1,200 limit, nor did they provide Huang with additional information regarding hurricane preparations or evacuation procedures.
According to figures given to the Amnesty International delegation, as many as 2,200 children were being housed in the detention center last week. Recent reports indicate the facility has had far more than 1,200 children in its care since hurricane season began June 1.
Read more: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/homestead-child-migrant-camp-holds-too-many-kids-for-hurricane-11217888