Congressional Democrats tour migrant chlidren detention facility in El Cajon, denounce separation...
Source: East County Magazine
San Diego Congressional members Susan Davis and Juan Vargas joined House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic members of the Hispanic Caucus in touring three local facilities holding child immigrants, including a fenced facility in EL Cajon, California with 65 migrant boys, 10 percent of whom were forcibly separated from their parents by the Trump administrations new zero tolerance policy of prosecuting all undocumented parents. In the past six weeks, the federal government has acknowledged taking away over 2,000 children from parents at the border, including infants and toddlers.
The United States should have a zero tolerance policy for the immoral treatment of children, said Rep. Davis (CA-53), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee whose district includes part of El Cajon. We are a nation of values and we ask our men and women in uniform to defend those values every day. This policy is in no way consistent with those values.
Davis adds, As a social worker who practiced in medical and psychiatric settings, particularly focusing on children and families, I can say the profound trauma thee children are experiencing will cause immediate and long-lasting damage to them.
She is cosponsor of House Resolution 927 to condemn the Trump administrations zero-tolerance policy separating children from parents, an action now opposed by 67% of Americans according to a new CBS news poll, including 90% of Democrats, 66 percent of independents and 39% of Republicans.
Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/congressional-democrats-tour-migrant-children-detention-faciity-el-cajon-denounce-separation-parents
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It was very depressing to see how stark the outside of this facility looked; no media was allowed in today while the Congressional members were there. The Dems are doing all they can to stop this.
By contrast Republican Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, whose district includes El Cajon, has shown zero concern for these children and today issued a statement voicing support for the Trump policy of ripping children away from their parents. The policies are brutal and barbaric.
The only decent thing from this visit is learning that our Dems say the facilities in San Diego are better than some in Texas that were essentially cages; at least the kids here have beds and soccer and school lessons. Still, doctors who have visited some of the facilities elsewhere say workers are not even allowed to pick up and comfort crying, frightened children.
And of course the very idea of taking children away from parents violates international law, common decency and Christian teachings -- it must be stopped. There are rallies nationwide this Saturday; our story has a link to where you can find them and also how to contact the San Diego Congressional delegation to thank the Dems for caring about the kids, and tell the Reps how repulsed you are, assuming you share my personal views that nothing could be more reprehensible than seeing our government intentionally traumatizing children.
msongs
(67,430 posts)Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)They were not allowed to talk to the children. Their video shows no toys except for a soccer ball. There are brightly colored quilts on beds and superhero posters on walls in the medical cliinic. It seemed to be fairly neat and clean from what little we can see on the video, but obviously this is far from what these children need emotionally:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/immigration/sd-me-family-separation-20180618-story.html
I read elsewhere that the group running this and some other facilities started as a group that intended to help migrants transitioning into the US and got roped into running centers for the unaccompanied minors coming here, and now the kids torn from their families.
Bottom line, it wouldn't matter if the children were put in palaces, this is still wrong. Children need their parents and emotional support, hugs, etc. from their caregivers.
I did, wonder though, if the community were to come together with donations of toys for these children, would the children be allowed to keep them? I'd kind of like to see a mountain of teddy bears put at the gates, as a symbols that people here care about these kids.
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)and if the community is allowed to donate any. They're working to get her on our radio show as a guest, and to get answers to those questions.
Hekate
(90,768 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)which runs the facility in El Cahon and I called them to verify. There is no signage with a name so I had to get if go from the reporter as well as the street address so I could Google map it with a street view to match. The facility is clean, resembles a school and was organized but this was all seen with a news camera and people are not allowed in or I would have driven over to see for myself this week (I had a fever Fri). I do not know where the girls are sent to and no one else does either.
There is a rally downtown on Sat where 500 yellow bracelets will be given out as well as chalk so families can write letters to officials at the ICE office in the Fed Bldg.
https://actionnetwork.org/events/families-belong-together-san-diego
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)We know the girls' facility is in Lemon Grove, a small city here. I am going to be asking all the Councilmembers if any of them know where it is, but the feds don't want anyone finding these places.
If anyone knows where it is please pm me.
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)Lemon Grove. I bet this is it...
https://www.mapquest.com/us/california/southwest-key-program-350999583
I live in San Diego too. I just tried to access the website I saved from Fri and now I can't access it (the one in El Cahon). I don't know if it is my computer or the govt did it.
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)To check this out and see if we can get in there.
Joanie Baloney
(1,357 posts)Southwest Key Programs Inc
1253 Broadway,
El Cajon, CA 92021
(619) 579-7705
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)1160 Broadway, El Cahon, CA 92102. Maybe there are two El Cahon locations. If you Google map that address and look at the street view it is the same site as the one on Ali Velshi's MSNBC show last Fri. The reporter stood next to the street number and I got it and followed up on it. They have two listings in Lemon Grove too but I think that one if possible where the girls may be held (above post). I think there are a lot of Southwest Key facilities throughout the states and they aren't the only company that the govt is using either.
https://archive.org/details/MSNBCW_20180614_190000_MSNBC_Live_With_Ali_Velshi
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)would not go there, but you are correct.
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)C Moon
(12,219 posts)is trying to blame the Democratic party on this horrible atrocity, and that could turn some of the California Hispanics to vote GOP.
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)or at least a dozen or so of them, got on the bus to come to the facilities in San Diego today and are actively denouncing this.
DeminPennswoods
(15,289 posts)fencing until MSNBC showed up to do a TV report.
byronius
(7,397 posts)And then out of my country.
I'll spend the rest of my life talking about this fucking horror. I'll never be silenced.
Damn them all to the lowest level of Hell.
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)"65 migrant boys, 10 percent of whom were forcibly separated from their parents".
10% of 65 boys is 6 1/2 boys.
Liberty Belle
(9,535 posts)But obviously they must mean that 6 or 7 kids were forcibly separated....if their number is anywhere close to true.
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,289 posts)That's true in US schools, too. It's in place to prevent even the perception of child abuse. It's crazy that a teacher can't even hug a crying elementary schooler, but this is where were are.
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)Once I had a a student in crisis and tried to run away and a marine who was volunteering to read to my class ran after him. The principal told him he wasn't even allowed to help get the student down from a fence he was climbing due to lawsuits. The student came down himself soon afterwards.
DeminPennswoods
(15,289 posts)elementary teacher I know of who ignored that rule and never got in trouble.
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)In fact I had a reputation for being nice with the kids and word spread to their friends and siblings. Kids from other classes, grades, total strangers would come to me to hug me whenever I had recess duty. I know that kids need this in their lives from trusted adults.
DeminPennswoods
(15,289 posts)was the person who passed out the hugs at the local school.
BigmanPigman
(51,621 posts)"What can I do, they came up and hugged me?!?". It was true and I was not going to,push them away. I am surprised they didn't try to nail me for it since I was the union rep on my site and was harassed for it sometimes.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)If the kids they saw are who Trump claims they are....
Hard to tell when you can't talk to them.