Trigger Warning: Child Abuse
We take pride in being America, a country we celebrate with fireworks and parades on the 4th of July—where flags wave and we sing about liberty and freedom. Yet, beneath this patriotic facade, we must confront a grim reality: children are being abused in our immigration detention centers.
This issue is not about distant lands or foreign conflicts. It’s happening in our own backyards—in Virginia, the birthplace of presidents, and Texas, known for its storied history. The forced separation of families at the border has been condemned by the United Nations and called “torture” by Amnesty International. But beyond that, we witness a more direct form of abuse.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released a report in May 2018 detailing the horrific conditions faced by migrant children detained at the U.S.-Mexico border. They filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles, stating that these facilities fail to meet basic hygiene, nutrition, and medical care standards mandated by a 1997 court ruling known as the Flores settlement. This settlement emphasizes the need for treating all minors in custody with dignity and respect.
Take a moment to picture your own children. What are they doing? Are they playing, eating, or simply enjoying their surroundings? Now, consider the opposite.
The ACLU’s findings reveal that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents often use unnecessary force against children. Reports cite incidents of boys being violently restrained, and one child was even run over by a vehicle and denied immediate medical attention. These children are subjected to verbal abuse, threats of violence, and even sexual assault.
After their apprehension, many are placed in facilities referred to as “hieleras,” or “the Icebox,” where they endure frigid temperatures without blankets. Pregnant minors are isolated, mocked, and denied basic care. One report recounts a young girl who witnessed a toddler being ridiculed for wetting himself.
The conditions within these detention centers are appalling. During a site visit in 2014, officials discovered unsanitary environments, overflowing toilets, and no basic hygiene supplies. Children recount days without proper food, subsisting on only juice and crackers. Some have resorted to drinking from toilets to stay hydrated.
Medical care is often withheld, as in the case of a girl suffering an asthma attack who was dismissed and threatened instead of treated. Pregnant minors have been neglected entirely, lacking necessary medical evaluations.
A lawsuit filed on behalf of a group of unaccompanied minors at the Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center describes scenes of physical and psychological abuse. Children report being stripped of their dignity, facing verbal assaults, and being subjected to medication that serves as a “chemical straightjacket.”
This is America. This is your country, and these abuses occur right now. Somewhere, a child is enduring frozen food; somewhere, another is being physically assaulted. This reality starkly contrasts with the ideals we profess.
In conclusion, we must awaken to the truth of what is happening within our borders. The land of the free and the home of the brave is currently marked by the suffering of vulnerable children. Let’s strive to hold ourselves accountable and advocate for humane treatment for all.
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