Governor Abbott blasts president Biden over conditions at unaccompanied minor facilities

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today blasted the Biden Administration for the conditions of the federally run unaccompanied minor facilities in Texas caused by the sudden surge of minors coming across the border.

The water at the federally run unaccompanied minor facility in Midland was not proven safe prior to placing children in the facility. In addition, there has been a COVID-19 outbreak in the Carrizo Springs facility.

“The Biden Administration has been an abject failure when it comes to ensuring the safety of unaccompanied minors who cross our border. The conditions unaccompanied minors face in these federally run facilities is unacceptable and inhumane. From a lack of safe drinking water in one location to a COVID-19 outbreak in another, the Biden Administration has no excuse for subjecting these children to these kinds of conditions. President Biden’s refusal to address the border crisis is not only enabling criminal actors like human traffickers and smugglers, but it is exposing innocent unaccompanied children to illness and potentially unsafe living conditions. The administration must act now to keep these children safe, secure our border, and end this humanitarian crisis.”

The Governor has deployed Texas Department of State Health Services resources and personnel to Carrizo Springs to investigate, identify, and combat the outbreak of COVID-19 in the federally run facility.

The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality has notified the Midland facility of their need to address the serious water issues.