Reports from the news media, lawyers and the federal government itself about conditions in migrant centers along the southern border with Mexico are bleak.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilities containing thousands of unaccompanied children and adults who crossed into the U.S. without authorization in recent months are woefully overcrowded, substandard and filthy. Many have gone without showers, adequate food and water.
The latest report from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, released Tuesday, calls for immediate improvements in five Texas holding facilities, with one primary recommendation: release people faster into the custody of other government agencies capable of handling the situation better.
The following is a summary of the key findings of the inspector general’s report, which has triggered outrage and demands for improvements by members of Congress and immigrant advocacy groups:
