Another migrant child has died under our government’s watch. “The U.S. government says a 16-year-old teenager from Guatemala died Monday at a Border Patrol station in South Texas,” the New York Times reports, “becoming the fifth death of a migrant child since December.”
There are few details so far, but what is known is that the boy had been in federal immigration custody since May 13 and was reportedly set on being transferred to Health and Human Services custody when he was “found unresponsive this morning during a welfare check.” The American Civil Liberties Union says that “by law, CBP can’t hold unaccompanied children for longer than 72 hours.”
Just last week, a 2-year-old boy who was initially detained along with his mom died in a Texas hospital after reportedly being diagnosed with pneumonia. Now, a fifth child has horrifically lost their life under our watch. ”Children dying in U.S. custody is a national emergency,” tweeted the Latino Victory Project, “and should be treated as such.”