June 25, Brownsville, Texas: On June 25, 2018, a sign in Brownsville, Texas, welcomes visitors from Mexico to the United States. As Democrats and Republicans argue over the detention of children and families seeking asylum, immigration has once again come into the public eye.
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A Senate Judiciary Committee report investigating medical care at Customs and Border Protection facilities concluded that there is a systemic problem with the care at those facilities.
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The investigation was ordered after the death of 8-year-old Anadith Reyes Alvarez in 2023.
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The report found that children were being held in custody for far longer than the recommended guidelines.
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A Senate Judiciary Committee report investigating medical care at Customs and Border Protection facilities concluded that there is a systemic problem with the care at those facilities.
-
The investigation was ordered after the death of 8-year-old Anadith Reyes Alvarez in 2023.
-
The report found that children were being held in custody for far longer than the recommended guidelines.
WashingtonAccording to a Senate report released Friday, the medical treatment of an 8-year-old girl in a Customs and Border Patrol facility in 2023 before her death was consistent with the subpar care provided there and reflects systemic issues within those facilities.
We know:
The death of 8-year-old Anadith Reyes Alvarez in May 2023 prompted a Senate investigation that produced the report that was made public on Friday.
On May 17, 2023, Alvarez, who suffered from congenital heart failure and sickle cell disease, passed away while in CBP custody at a facility in Harlingen, Texas.
Numerous issues with CBP’s incapacity to deliver quality medical care were allegedly “sufficiently addressed” and ultimately resulted in Alvarez’s dying, according to the study.
Alvarez’s care throughout his stay in the facility was deemed by the committee to be “not aberrant but consistent” with other cases of subpar in-custody care.
In the study, the committee cautioned that providing proper care would be a pressing concern, failing which more people would pass away while in detention.
“Under the current administration, the provision of adequate medical care in CBP facilities will be an urgent issue,” according to the report. “President Donald Trump has already started to implement broad immigration restrictions that are intended to close the border, including for individuals who are legitimately applying for asylum. More people and children could perish if medical treatment in CBP detention deteriorates.
Key Findings
The committee presented their investigation’s five main conclusions.
According to the report, children are being detained for far longer than recommended.
According to CBP guidelines, a person should not be held for longer than 72 hours. When Alvarez passed away, she had been detained for nine days.
According to the committee, 56 children were detained for more than 14 days and 832 minors for more than seven days in October 2024.
According to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the investigation discovered what he described as chronic issues with understaffing, a failure to keep track of medical records, a lack of guidance on how to handle children and vulnerable people, and a failing to keep an eye on CBP’s medical contractor.
When the study was ordered, Durbin was the Senate Judiciary Committee’s chairman.
What they’re saying:
“Anadith Danay Reyes lvarez likely would still be alive if she received adequate emergency medical care in CBP custody,” Durbin stated. “She passed away at the age of eight. While in custody, her mother was unable to contact for an ambulance and unsuccessfully pleaded with medical personnel for assistance. Children’s health and safety should always be a priority, particularly when they are under the custody of the government.
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Recommendations
A series of suggestions was released in the committee report, and CBP was encouraged to put them into practice.
Stronger protection for those who are medically vulnerable and a shorter detention period were among the suggestions.
The committee suggested giving medical professionals more authority to seek higher levels of care when necessary, as well as more oversight and openness.
“While some steps were taken under the Biden Administration, more needs to be done,” Durbin stated. This is particularly significant given that, absent court intervention, formal supervision of CBP medical care may soon come to an end. I urge CBP to implement these recommendations as the Trump Administration launches its strong and unrestrained anti-immigrant campaign. Increased surveillance, more stringent control, and proper care for vulnerable individuals—particularly children—in government custody are needed.
The Death of Anadith Reyes Alvarez
The backstory
On May 9, 2023, Alvarez, her parents, and two siblings were arrested in Brownsville, Texas, according to Customs and Border Protection agents.
Early on May 10, the family was transferred from the Camp Monument Staging Area to the processing center in Donna, Texas.
According to CBP officers, medical personnel were informed of Alvarez’s condition and the family had a medical evaluation in Donna.
According to a CBP report, Alvarez’s mother took her to the medical area in Donna on May 14 after she complained of coughing, nasal congestion, and stomach problems.
Following her influenza diagnosis, Alvarez and her family were transferred to the Harlingen facility, a medical isolation facility in the release states.
When Alvarez was sent to the Harlingen medical unit on May 17 due to vomiting, CBP officers stated that she had been receiving treatment for the flu for a number of days.
When Alvarez complained of a stomachache, she and her mother returned to the unit a second time. She was stable, according to the medical personnel, who advised her mother to follow up if necessary, the release reads.
According to CBP, Alvarez seemed to be experiencing a seizure before going unconscious when she returned to the medical unit just before 2:00 p.m. on May 17, her third trip of the day.
Until an ambulance arrived, medical personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the youngster. She was transported to a hospital, where she passed away shortly before 3 p.m.
What is unknown to us:
It’s unclear if CBP will take the committee’s suggestions into account. The Biden administration was when the probe was launched.
With a series of executive orders and proposals for mass deportations, President Donald Trump has adopted a tougher stance on immigration since into office.
On Wednesday, the president declared his intention to establish a detention facility at Guantnamo Bay that could accommodate 30,000 migrants.
The Origin:Sen. Dick Durbin, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Customs and Border Protection provided the information for this article.
