Poor conditions including overcrowding, flu outbreaks, and a lack of clean clothes are just par for the course at an El Paso border station, according to a report released Monday by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General. In the report, border patrol argues that these conditions are necessary to stem the flow of migrants to the United States.
The report, first obtained by NBC News, detailed the conditions during a May 7 tour of a border station in the El Paso sector and found that only four showers were available for 756 immigrants. Additionally, over half of the immigrants were being held outside in the Texas heat, while the immigrants inside were being kept in cells at over five times their capacity. One cell meant for a maximum of 35 people held 155 adult males with only one toilet and sink. The cell was so overcrowded that the internal temperatures reached over 80 degrees and the men were unable to lay down to sleep.
While border patrol processing centers are only meant for temporary stays of up to 36 hours, some migrants at this facility in El Paso reported stays of over 30 days.
View the complete July 1 article by Rebekah Entralgo on the ThinkProgress website here.