GOP Congressman Tells Detained Children To Leave Border Camps If They Don’t Like The Conditions

Republican congressman Michael Burgess of Texas suggested on Monday that if the detained children living in border camps don’t like the conditions, they’re free to walk out and find another place to live.

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In an interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Rep. Burgess – a loyal Trump supporter – said that the children at these immigration detention centers are “well taken care of,” but said the children are welcome to find another place to live if the conditions aren’t good enough.

“You know what, there is not a lock on the door,” the Republican congressman said. “Any child is free to leave at any time.”

Video:

Rep Burgess said:

I’ve been to Casa Padre in Brownsville, Texas. Yes, it’s a restored Walmart. You know what, there is not a lock on the door. Any child is free to leave at any time, but they don’t. You know why? Because they’re well taken care of. At some point, they’re going to live with family, generally not mother or father, but some family member. That’s a good thing.

Republicans should be ashamed of themselves

Despite what the congressman said on Monday, the children living in these detention centers are not “well taken care of.”

As the Associated Press reported last week, at one of the border camps, [K]ids are taking care of kids, and there’s inadequate food, water and sanitation for the 250 infants, children and teens at the Border Patrol station.”

Despite the unacceptable and inhumane conditions, the Trump administration is arguing in court that the children they have detained don’t need beds, blankets or soap.

It’s bad enough that this unspeakable tragedy is playing out in the United States of America. Worse is that so many Americans, including members of Congress, are fine with it.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.