Stuck in Shelters for Months, Some Migrant Children Abandon Hopes of Staying in US
The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement is supposed to care for migrant children who arrive in the country alone. But new policies are stranding kids in shelters and undermining their mental health. Some children have chosen to return to the countries they fled.
In recent months, several young migrant children from El Salvador have endured prolonged stays in government-run shelters, leading some to abandon their hopes of remaining in the United States. One such child, M.R., a 9-year-old girl, penned a heartfelt letter to her mother while residing in a Houston-area shelter, expressing her deep longing to reunite with her family.
Despite her appeals, M.R. remained in the shelter for over seven months, suffering from emotional distress and physical symptoms like nosebleeds and potential infections. Meanwhile, her mother, Carmen, faced difficulties gaining custody, as federal immigration officials arrested her, detaining her in Louisiana even though she possessed an ongoing asylum case and no criminal record.
The story of M.R. and Carmen is not unique; according to KFF Health News, nearly 1,900 children currently reside in shelters overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The administration responsible for these shelters has shifted their focus from child welfare to a more punitive approach, prioritizing the deportation of families over the well-being of the children.
This change has resulted in long-term detentions, prolonged suffering, and limited options for release. Children like M.R. are now caught in a cycle of uncertainty, where they may be forced to choose between entering long-term foster care or returning to the dangerous situations that led them to leave their home countries.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
