AUGUST 11, 2018 – PART ONE

MIGRANT ISSUES TODAY


“‘THIS WAS A DUMB, STUPID DECISION THAT SHOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED,’ THE BCFS COMMANDER TOLD MEDIA ON JUNE 25.” PAINFULLY, IT WAS DUE TO AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY TRUMP TO KEEP THIS OPEN BEYOND THE FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE’S DECISION TO CLOSE IT. ALSO, AN UNNAMED “LOOPHOLE” IN THE FEDERAL LAW APPLYING TO HOMESTEAD FLORIDA* AND TORNILLO TEXAS* -- “WHERE STATE OFFICIALS HAVE NO AUTHORITY” -- ALLOWS FREEDOM FROM INSPECTIONS. SO THIS UNWELCOME ATTENTION FROM THREE SENATE DEMOCRATS MAY BE THE LAST IN AWHILE. I HOPE THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE WORDING OF THE LOOPHOLE, AND THE DATES OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE FACILITIES, ETC. SEE THE RELATED ARTICLES BELOW.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/closure-of-tent-city-for-unaccompanied-migrant-children-delayed-for-second-time-texas-2018-08-11/
By GRAHAM KATES CBS NEWS August 11, 2018, 9:02 AM
Closure of "Tent City" for unaccompanied migrant children delayed for second time

A "Tent City" in Texas for migrant boys will remain open until at least September 13 -- two months past its initial planned closure date of July 13, CBS News has learned. The shelter houses boys who were apprehended after crossing the Mexican border, unaccompanied when crossing, or separated from adults after coming into the U.S.

The facility, which includes two rows of bunk bed-lined tents, opened on June 14 at the Tornillo Port of Entry, which is located about 39 miles south of El Paso. The shelter is intended to be temporary and was initially slated to open for just 30 days, closing on July 13. However, in early July, the nonprofit contracted to manage it was notified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that the facility would be needed for another 30 days.

A representative of BCFS*, the nonprofit, told CBS News on August 7 that the Tornillo facility was still expected to close on August 13. By Friday August 10, that had changed, HHS confirmed in an email to CBS News.

"HHS' Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is continuously monitoring bed capacity available to provide shelter for minors who arrive at the U.S. border unaccompanied and are referred to HHS for care by immigration officials, as well as the information received from interagency partners, to inform any future decisions or actions," an HHS spokesperson said. "HHS will continue to assess the need for this temporary shelter at Tornillo Land Port of Entry (LPOE), Tornillo, TX, based on projected need for beds and current capacity of the program."

BCFS will continue to manage the facility, both HHS and the nonprofit confirmed.

During a press tour of the facility on June 25, the BCFS commander of the site was highly critical of the federal government's decision to open it. He said it was opened as "a direct result of the policy to separate kids by this administration," referring to the so-called "zero tolerance" policy for migrants caught crossing the border outside authorized entry points. The policy, announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on April 6, set a goal of prosecuting 100 percent of adults caught violating immigration law — even if they needed to be separated from children they were traveling with.

"This was a dumb, stupid decision that should've never happened," the BCFS commander told media on June 25.

A CBS News investigation revealed on July 5 that a loophole in federal policy allows the Tornillo facility and another massive temporary shelter in Homestead, Florida, to escape the rigorous, often unannounced child welfare inspections that all other similar shelters operated by ORR are subjected to.

Tornillo and Homestead are located on federal land, where state officials have no authority.

They remain open nearly nine weeks after the federal government's "zero tolerance" immigration policy was suspended June 20 via an executive order issued by President Donald Trump, following widespread public outcry. Six days later, a federal district court judge ordered the federal government to reunite all separated children by July 26.

Hundreds of children in federal custory remain separated from their parents, many of whom were deported.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Graham Kates
Graham Kates is an investigative reporter covering criminal justice, privacy issues and information security for CBSNews.com.


BCFS* -- https://bcfs.net/about-bcfs
BAPTIST CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

Government Partners
BCFS contracts with local, state and federal government agencies to provide health and human services throughout the world. Our organization has nearly 70 years of experience caring for at-risk populations. We are proud to work with our government partners to achieve this mission.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Border Patrol

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor


WORKER REVIEWS --
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Bcfs/reviews?ftopic=paybenefits

A challenging, but rewarding job.
Disaster Case Manager (Former Employee) – San Antonio, TX – July 26, 2018
I enjoyed my jobs with BCFS very much. The assignments are PRN. You don't know when you will be assigned or how long the assignment will last. I was told this upfront as well as the fact that I would be working long hours. I agreed with the hours based on the fact that I accepted the assignment. This is a job for those who enjoy the flexibility of work, being able to travel and meet new people, and don't want to be tied down to a year-long 9-5 job.

Pros Company arranges for living accommodations and transportation, great salary, travel, meeting new people (both co-workers and survivors), being able to connect survivors to services that meet their needs.

Cons Uncertainty of knowing when next assignment will be


A MUCH MORE NEGATIVE REVIEW:

Poor organization, poor management, no courtesy between levels
Case Manager (Former Employee) – Texas – July 31, 2018

They force you to work under a lot of pressure, they change rules daily and sometimes without logic or reason. There is no courtesy between employees and you have to learn for yourself since there is no type of training. Apart from the salary there is no other benefit and the supervisors have no knowledge of labor laws or human resources. Definitely, it is not a place of work for a professional.

Pros High salary
Cons Temporary job, lot of pressure and not a satisfactory place to work.


A CLASSIC “TOXIC WORKPLACE”

Busy environment
Direct Care Worker (Former Employee) – Harlingen, TX – July 23, 2018

As a direct care worker you are at the mercy of the supervising staff which have their favorites. You are on your feet all day with 10-15 mins an hour of scheduled sit time. The Administrative director at the Raymondville, TX office takes you in her office ask you questions about the supervisors and other staff and then tricks you into thinking you can tell her anything.

DCW are not allowed to keep in touch with the youth after they leave the facility, but that didn't keep at least two of the staff from this forbidden action. It's a stab you in the back work environment.

Pros Benefits
Cons The supervisors with too much power



WWJD? "IT'S A COLD WAY OF APPROACHING LAW ENFORCEMENT."

THIS ENCAPSULATES MY IMPRESSION OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ISN’T TRYING TO BE CRUEL TO CHILDREN BUT TO MAKE A POINT – “DON’T COME HERE.” IT REMINDS ME OF THE WORKHOUSE IN CHARLES DICKENS’ OLIVER TWIST. “MAY I HAVE SOME MORE, SIR?”

I NOTICE FROM THE ARTICLES THAT THIS FACILITY AT HOMESTEAD WAS BEGUN UNDER OBAMA; BUT THEN CLOSED FOR A TIME TO BE REOPENED LAST YEAR BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. I KNOW THEY FELT THEY HAD TO MOVE FAST TO HANDLE THE PUSH OF IMMIGRATION, BUT THE FACT THAT THE TWO FACILITIES IN TEXAS AND IN FLORIDA ARE (RED FLAG NUMBER ONE) NOT SUBJECT TO INSPECTIONS, AND (NUMBER TWO) NOT TO FLORIDA STATE SUPERVISION AT ALL. THOSE DISTURB ME GREATLY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE TRUMP GOVERNMENT FORCED THIS CHILD SEPARATION ACTIVITY WHEN THEY NEEDED TO SET UP UNIFIED FAMILY SITUATIONS INSTEAD. BUT WORST OF ALL IS THE FACT THAT THE WHOLE REASON FOR THE SEPARATION OF FAMILIES WAS AS “A DETERRANT.” IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS STARTED TO SET UP A SITUATION SO SHOCKING THAT THE FLOW OF IMMIGRATION WOULD CEASE. THEY REASONED (AND STATED IN ONE ARTICLE) THAT OUR MORE HUMANE SETUP UNDER OBAMA AND OTHER PRESIDENTS WAS “AN INCENTIVE.”

IF THIS WERE DONE TO ADULTS ALONE IT WOULD BE INHUMANE, BUT WHEN IT’S DONE TO CHILDREN IT SHOULD BE CRIMINAL. WHY ISN’T IT?

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article213411029.html
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Up to 1,000 children held by immigration authorities now living in Homestead compound
BY DOUGLAS HANKS AND BRENDA MEDINA
June 18, 2018 08:29 PM
Updated June 19, 2018 01:42 PM

dhanks@miamiherald.com
bmedina@elnuevoherald.com

PHOTOGRAPH -- Unaccompanied undocumented children at the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children play soccer on Monday, June 18, 2018.
Ellis Rua erua@miamiherald.com
PHOTOGRAPH -- The entrance for the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children on Monday, June 18, 2018.
Ellis Rua Erua@miamiherald.com

SEE ALSO THE RELATED ARTICLES BELOW.

The Trump administration has reopened a 1,000-bed Homestead facility that once housed minors who entered the country illegally and alone, reviving a compound at a time when the White House is under fire for a new policy that separates children from parents detained by immigration authorities.

It wasn't clear Monday what role the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children is playing in the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration: housing children who entered the country without parents, or housing them after authorities took them from their parents after the family entered the United States illegally, or a mix of both.

A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the shelter, declined to clarify in an email interview on Monday, saying both categories of children are categorized as "unaccompanied alien children."

"Homestead is an active temporary unaccompanied alien children program facility," the spokesman, Kenneth Wolfe, said in an email.

On Monday, dozens of boys were playing soccer on a field behind the obscured fences that surround the federal compound about 35 miles southwest of Miami. Members of the media were not allowed inside, and a private security guard tried to block media from filming the scene from a public road outside the facility, accusing the reporters and photographers of trespassing.

The facility closed last year amid a sharp decline in illegal border crossings under Trump, easing the flow of unaccompanied minors needing housing. Washington reopened the facility earlier this year without public notice, and the new population of minors did not receive media attention until Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democratic member of Congress from Broward, disclosed it during an event Monday.

Michael Liquerman, a spokesman for Wasserman Schultz, said the office has only been told the Homestead facility has "1,000 kids there" but didn't know the status of the minors. Another congressional source said the Trump administration has said the facility has a capacity of 1,000 beds, suggesting the population might be lower.

On Monday evening, U.S. Sen Bill Nelson, D-Florida, announced he would tour the facility on Tuesday.

Tomas Kennedy
@tomaskenn
We met with Rep. @DWStweets to discuss the horrible policy of separating immigrant families by putting children in detention centers. A detention center for children in Homestead, Florida has just reopened and it currently holds over 1,000 kids. #FamilesBelongTogether
12:22 PM - Jun 18, 2018 · Miami, FL

The Homestead facility was toured by the media in 2016, when the Obama administration was under scrutiny for what was widely described as a crisis of children entering the United States illegally from troubled home countries in Central America. A former federal Jobs Corps center, it has dormitory beds, recreational facilities and classrooms.


Glenna Milberg
✔
@GlennaOn10
· Jun 18, 2018
Replying to @GlennaOn10
This government work order dated 5/4 shows 500 more beds needed at the Homestead shelter. Comprehensive Health Services in the company contracted to provide physical & mental health to the children there. pic.twitter.com/a6ESSdadxb

VIDEO
Glenna Milberg
✔
@GlennaOn10
Security guards tell us “no recording”, but the streets around the Homestead shelter are public roads.
Note to HHS: we are mindful & respectful of young migrants’ privacy. But public has a right to document their situation & care ... @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/2218y3vOwc

5:31 PM - Jun 18, 2018 · Homestead, FL

Wolfe, the Health and Human Services spokesman, said the Homestead compound reopened several months ago.

Comprehensive Health Services, a Cape Canaveral contractor, is running the facility, according to federal procurement documents online. One posting from February showed a $30 million contract for 500 beds in Homestead. It was amended May 4 to make it 1,000 beds.
immigrationchildren_one_mhd

Soccer ball that was kicked over the fence by unaccompanied undocumented children at the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children on Monday, June 18, 2018.
Ellis Rua erua@miamiherald.com

The Trump policy on separating children from parents has drawn outrage from Democrats, human-rights groups and a growing number of Republicans.

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a Republican from Miami, condemned the practice. "There's a way to enforce the law and be compassionate," he said. "It's a cold way of approaching law enforcement."

PHOTOGRAPH -- A 2016 photo, provided by the federal government, of a dorm at the Homestead compound that housed hundreds of immigrant children at that time. Media have not been allowed inside the former Job Corps facility since it reopened in 2018, so it's not known if the quarters have changed. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services



"RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE TRESPASSING ON FEDERAL PROPERTY," A UNIFORMED MAN TOLD THEM TUESDAY.” “. . . . AND THEN REOPENED QUIETLY IN FEBRUARY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE TRUMP ROLLED OUT HIS NEW "ZERO TOLERANCE" STRATEGY AT THE BORDERS.” THIS IS JUST TOO MUCH LIKE THE WWII JAPANESE INTERNMENT CAMPS FOR ME. AT THE LEAST, IT IS GROTESQUELY INHUMANE, AND DOES OUR NATION NO HONOR WHATSOEVER. WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT THERE WAS A ROUGHLY DESIGNED PLAN HERE, AS AN ARTICLE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO SHOW A USA MAP MARKED WITH INTERNMENT CENTERS FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH. THIS ISN’T A SUDDEN DECISION, THOUGH IT DOES SHOW THE TOO FREQUENTLY SEEN TRUMPIAN LACK OF GOOD PLANNING.

THESE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS HAD PERMISSION TO ENTER, BUT THEN WHEN THEY GOT TO THE DOOR A UNIFORMED GUARD DENIED THEIR VISIT, PENDING A TWO WEEK NOTICE. THIS IS THE SECOND EVENT OF THAT SAME KIND, THE FIRST BEING SOME TWO MONTHS AGO IN TEXAS. THE KEY ELEMENTS – ENFORCED SECRECY – ANOTHER SIGN THAT THIS MAY NOT BE AMERICA ANYMORE. EITHER THE PREMESES WERE NOT AS UNCROWDED, CLEAN AND ORDERLY AS THEY SHOULD BE, OR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DETERMINED TO KEEP THE CONGRESS AND SENATE FROM HAVING ANY INFORMATION, MUCH LESS ANY CONTROL AT THESE FACILITIES.

IS THE SENATE GOING TO ALLOW THIS TO GO ON? IT IS ALSO STRANGE THAT THIS SITE AND ONE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK WERE POPULATED WITH CHILDREN IN COMPLETE SECRECY DURING THE LATE NIGHT HOURS, AS A NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER DISCOVERED. THAT MADE A TERRIBLE IMAGE, AS TWO HEFTY LOOKING FEMALE GUARDIANS WALKED AS MANY SLIM YOUNG GIRLS, MAYBE 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD, DOWN THE ALMOST DESERTED STREET. I HAVE NO ACCEPTABLE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING TACTICS LIKE THESE.

Nelson, Wasserman Schultz blocked from entering immigrant children shelter in Homestead
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/homestead/article213449739.html
Jun 19, 2018
BY DAVID SMILEY, BRENDA MEDINA, ALEX DAUGHERTY AND DANIEL CHANG

VIDEO ONSITE INTERVIEW -- U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson were denied entry into a federally run facility that is housing a large number of unaccompanied immigrant children on June 19, 2018.
By José A. Iglesias

Amid uproar over the federal government's break-up of families caught illegally crossing the U.S. border, state and federal lawmakers were denied entry Tuesday to a shelter in Homestead where 1,200 immigrant children are being held, including dozens separated from their parents.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and state Rep. Kionne McGhee tried to enter the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children, a previously dormant youth center only recently reactivated by Health and Human Services. But with a gaggle of media looking on, the lawmakers were turned away.

"The company running this facility told us we would be welcomed to tour the facility," Nelson said on Twitter. "HHS then denied us entry and said that they need 'two weeks notice' to allow us inside. That’s ridiculous and it’s clear this administration is hiding something."

Some 1,192 children are being held at the center, 391 of them girls. Nelson and Wasserman Schultz said they're all between the ages of 13 and 17, and that 94 of them were separated from their families. Nationwide, HHS has about 12,000 minors in its custody.

"Are the kids sleeping on the floor?" Wasserman Schultz asked. "Are they putting them in cages like in Texas?”

McGhee, Nelson and Wasserman Schultz, all of them Democrats, were shut out as controversy erupted over a Trump administration decision to aggressively detain and charge immigrants caught crossing borders into the U.S. and place their children in federal custody. The practice has thrown fire onto an already combustible campaign season, and led to calls for the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

PHOTOGRAPH – 978781652 -- U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), center, walks with U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), and Florida House Rep. Kionne L. McGhee to the entrance before being denied access to visit the Homestead Temporary Shelter For Unaccompanied Children on June 19, 2018, in Homestead, Florida.
Joe Skipper Getty Images

Florida Republicans and Democrats alike slammed the policy this week, even as HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in Miami Tuesday that his department is "working to expand capacity to ensure we can properly care for the children." The Homestead shelter, for instance, opened amid a startling rush of unaccompanied child immigrants during the Obama administration, was shuttered last year after their numbers dwindled under Donald Trump, and then reopened quietly in February a few weeks before Trump rolled out his new "zero tolerance" strategy at the borders.

A Health and Human Services spokesman says the facility, located near the Homestead Air Base, is temporary. But Wasserman Schultz noted that there are two additional, long-standing shelters in Miami-Dade County housing migrant children taken into HHS custody. It's unclear, though, if any of those children were separated from their families.

"This is a policy created by President Trump, and he can end it in a nanosecond," said Nelson, who faces a tough reelection campaign against Gov. Rick Scott.

Nelson, Wasserman Schultz and McGhee had planned to tour the Homestead facility and even get some video as they hoped to see the conditions in which children are being held. Standing before a press gaggle, Nelson said he had information from a mother in Texas who says her son was taken to the Homestead shelter.

But as they walked across the street to pass through a gate to the shelter, which is run by HHS contactor Comprehensive Health Systems, the lawmakers were stopped by a staff member who said they weren’t going to allow them in. "Right now you guys are trespassing on federal property," a uniformed man told them Tuesday.

PHOTOGRAPH -- A protester holds up a sign during a press conference in front of the detention center in Homestead. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz were denied entry to the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children.
Jose A. Iglesias jiglesias@elnuevoherald.com

The trio walked to an office across the street from the shelter where they tried to get answers. Minutes later they were back in front of the cameras, questioning why the Trump administration wouldn’t let them in.

“They are denying access to a sitting member of Congress, to a sitting U.S. senator and to the incoming [minority] leader of the Florida House, for what reason other than a coverup?” said McGhee. “Why don’t they let us go in to set eye on these children? To make sure their safety is in place?”

An HHS spokesman declined to comment on additional shelters Tuesday, saying the department doesn't identify shelters of children in its program "for the safety and security of minors in the unaccompanied alien children program." But two facilities in Miami Gardens and Cutler Bay, both run by religious organizations, have housed unaccompanied minors for years.

His House, in Miami Gardens, has always been a shelter for orphaned kids and started taking in immigrant children four years ago, when thousands of children began streaming across U.S. borders. The shelter was designated by HHS' Office of Refugee Resettlement to care for unaccompanied child migrants, according to the organization's website.

Due to federal rules, executive director Silvia Smith-Torres could not say whether immigrant children who have been separated from their parents are currently living at the shelter. She said she was unable to provide the current number of immigrant children living at the facility, which was pegged at 120 during a Miami Herald visit in January.

In Cutler Bay, a facility known as Boystown also houses unaccompanied minors. After learning of its existence, Mayor Peggy Bell said she visited the shelter, now called Msgr. Bryan Walsh Children’s Village, and was told it houses immigrant children but not whether any of them were separated from their parents.

PHOTOGRAPH -- XV8A4561.jpg -- Senator Bill Nelson and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz are denied access to the Homestead facility by a security officer, left, while surrounded by media.
Jose A. Iglesias jiglesias@miamiherald.com

HHS Secretary Azar told the Miami Herald Tuesday that all children taken into his agency's custody are well cared for, and that the "vast majority" come into the country without adult supervision. But he couldn't say how many children he expects to shelter.

"They get education. They get meals. They get medical care. They get daily athletics. But the number one thing we focus on with them, in addition to a safe environment, is also transitioning them to sponsors," said Azar. "It ends up 50 percent of the kids end up with their parents as their sponsors. About 40 percent on average end up with other family members here in the United States. And about 10 percent or so end up with non-related individuals, maybe foster care, other volunteers who want to take the child in."

On Monday, even as security at the Homestead shelter warned media that they were trespassing, a Miami Herald reporter was able to glimpse dozens of kids playing soccer in a field.

But the practice of taking children from their parents at the border has been widely condemned, and HHS has been criticized for its supervision of children under its custody. Miami Herald parent company McClatchy reported Tuesday, for instance, that the government had likely lost track of nearly 6,000 children whose sponsors had not kept in contact with federal officials.

On Tuesday, Gov. Scott slammed the practice of separating immigrant families and demanded in a letter to Azar that HHS keep the state informed of any children placed into Florida shelters after being taken from their families at the border.

In his own letter to Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen, Miami-Dade schools chief Alberto Carvalho complained that HHS had said nothing to his staff about the existence of hundreds of school-age children in Homestead, and pointed out that the district sent teachers to shelters during an influx of immigrant children during the Obama administration.

A spokeswoman for Curbelo also called on HHS Tuesday to provide more information about its operations, noting that the agency doesn't make a distinction internally between children who are separated from their families and those who enter the country as unaccompanied minors.

"Representative Curbelo is continuing to demand answers, and finds it troubling that federal elected officials seeking answers were turned away from the facility today," Joanna Rodriguez said. She added that Curbelo is calling on Trump to immediately end the practice of family separation, even as Congress attempts to fast-track legislation that would allow families to stay together.

Julio Calderon, a Honduran immigrant who crossed the border undocumented when he was 16 and temporarily placed in federal custody, doesn't buy that the Homestead facility is a shelter. He says it's a glorified detention center.

“Can they go with their families if they want to? Can they leave?" he asked. "For me, the question is, what’s going to happen to these kids? What’s next? How do they transition out of here? Can family members claim them? Will they be reunited with their parents? Or will they be deported?”

Miami Herald staff writers Douglas Hanks, Kyra Gurney, Charles Rabin and Jacob Sweet contributed to this story.


ANGST AND FURY ARE HEARD HERE, AND IT’S COMING FROM REPUBLICANS RATHER THAN MERELY DEMOCRATS. I HOPE THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEGISLATURES WILL KEEP UP THE DRUMBEAT AGAINST THIS IDIOTIC POLICY; OR BETTER STILL, INITIATE IMPEACHMENT PROCEDINGS, NOT AGAINST DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL ROD J. ROSENSTEIN WHO HAS BEEN HONEST AND TRUE THROUGHOUT THIS, BUT AGAINST A MAN WHO CLAIMS THE PRESIDENCY AFTER COLLUDING WITH RUSSIANS IN ORDER TO GAIN THE POSITION.

Miami Republicans condemn Trump policy of separating families at the border
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article213385919.html
Miami Republicans condemn Trump policy of separating families at the border
BY ALEX DAUGHERTY
adaugherty@mcclatchydc.com
June 18, 2018 05:59 PM
Updated June 18, 2018 10:46 PM

WASHINGTON

Republicans from Miami-Dade on Monday condemned the Trump administration's decision to separate families crossing the southern border, with adults being sent to detention centers while their children are housed in cages and cry for their parents.

"It is totally unacceptable, for any reason, to purposely separate minor children from their parents," said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, who, along with Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo is leading negotiations on a compromise all-Republican immigration bill in Congress. "Any and every other option should be implemented in order to not separate minors from their parents, which I believe is unconscionable. We cannot allow for this to continue happening, and it must stop. I continue to work with my colleagues to ensure that the provision included in this week's immigration bill puts an end to this cruel practice.”

Curbelo called the separation policy "a tragedy" on Twitter over the weekend, and referenced former President Barack Obama's policy of detaining families and unaccompanied minors.

"While some tolerated it when it happened under the previous administration, I found it unacceptable then & I find it unacceptable now," Curbelo tweeted. "We’re crafting legislation to remedy this sad situation."

The White House announced the policy in April as a way to deter immigrants from entering the country illegally, and administration officials have defended it in the face of widespread criticisms from across the political spectrum.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio advocated for changing laws to allow families to stay together while being held in detention instead of separating them. Current law does not require separating families who cross the border illegally, and the compromise immigration bill includes a provision that would end the practice.

"Currently govt must either release parents & continue incentive for illegal entry with children or separate families by detaining parents," Rubio tweeted. "Neither is good. Lets change the law to allow families to be held together at family facilities & shorten detention with expedited hearings."


Marco Rubio
✔
@marcorubio
Currently govt must either release parents & continue incentive for illegal entry with children or separate families by detaining parents. Neither is good. Lets change the law to allow families to be held together at family facilities & shorten detention with expedited hearings

3:54 PM - Jun 18, 2018
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Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who will likely challenge Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson for his seat in November, said he does not support the separations but blamed Washington for failing to pass immigration bills.

"What the country is witnessing right now is the byproduct of the many years of bipartisan inaction and failure from our federal government," Scott said in a statement. "They have failed to secure our borders, which has resulted in the chaos. Let me be clear— I do not favor separating families. Washington is to blame for this by being all talk and no action, and the solution is to secure the border. Anyone seeking to enter our country illegally needs to be sent back, with the exception of those who are truly seeking asylum from an oppressive regime."

Republican Lieutenant Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who is from Miami, also condemned the policy.

"DHS policy of separating small children from their parents is wrong and should be discontinued immediately. We are a nation of laws but also of compassion," Lopez-Cantera tweeted.

Curbelo and Diaz-Balart will likely face well-funded Democratic challengers this fall in elections that are expected to be competitive.

Every single Senate Democrat, including Nelson, has signed on to a bill that would ban the U.S. government from separating families at the border. None of the 51 Senate Republicans have signed on to the bill.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, told reporters during a roundtable today that roughly 1,000 migrant children are being held at a facility in Homestead, the Miami New Times reported. The Homestead facility held unaccompanied minor children during the Obama administration and recently reopened, according to multiple reports.


Doug Hanks
✔
@doug_hanks
There’s a soccer game at the reopened federal facility in Homestead for children in immigration custody. Looks like teenagers.

5:14 PM - Jun 18, 2018
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Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring, blamed the president for instituting the separation policy earlier this year.

"Separating families at the border is a cruel policy that needlessly subjects both parents and children to emotional and psychological harm," Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement. "President Trump has chosen to implement this policy and he can put an end to it but he chooses not to do so and instead blames others."

Alex Daugherty, 202-383-6049, @alextdaugherty



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dilley-texas-immigant-detention-facility-today-2018-08-11/
By MIREYA VILLARREAL CBS NEWS August 11, 2018, 7:40 PM
Inside an immigrant detention center that houses mothers and children

DILLEY, Texas -- U.S. officials are still trying to reunite as many as 386 children who were separated from their parents at the border under President Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy. Their parents have been deported, but officials say they have been able to reach most of them.

Officials, meanwhile, are investigating the death of a child recently released from the nation's largest immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas.

Closure of "Tent City" for unaccompanied migrant children delayed for second time

CBS News has confirmed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is actively investigating the death of a migrant child shortly after her release from the south Texas family residential center in Dilley.

Attorneys for the child's mother cite "neglect and unsanitary conditions" as possible factors.

villarreal-ice-faciity-2018-08-11.jpg
An ICE facility for mothers and children in Dilley, Texas. CBS NEWS

CBS News was given a rare look inside the detention center that only houses mothers and children.

Right now, more than 1,500 are staying here, but the facility has room for up to 2,400. As soon as you get past the security gates, you see dozens of strollers parked outside the buildings.

"Our place is very sterile," said ICE field director Daniel Bible. "We have people on site daily that go through daily to make sure that sanitary conditions are kept."

villarreal-ice-facility-3-2018-08-11.jpg
An immigrant detention center in Dilley, Texas, that houses mothers and children. CBS NEWS

Dilley is just one of several immigrant detention facilities under fire over severe allegations of abuse and mistreatment of migrant children.

A report by ProPublica revealed over the last 5 years, police responded to at least 125 calls reporting sex offenses at shelters that primarily serve immigrant children.

In a lawsuit filed against the Shiloh facility south of Houston, several immigrants minors describe being forced to take prescription drugs without parental consent.

Levian Pacheco, a former Health and Human Services (HHS) shelter employee in Mesa, Arizona is accused of sexually assaulting eight teenage boys.

HHS says that any allegation of abuse or neglect is taken seriously.

villarreal-ice-facility-2-2018-08-11.jpg
An ICE facility that houses mothers and children in Dilley, Texas. CBS NEWS

Katy Murdza is a legal advocate with the Dilley pro-bono Advocacy Project, which works closely with families detained in Dilley. Murdza says reporting any type of issues regarding access to medical care isn't easy.

"The moms keep taking them to the medical facility and they keep being told, 'Oh that's normal for a kid not to eat for a week,' or just giving them, telling them to drink more water which is rumored to be contaminated or just giving them vapor rub," Murdza said.

For these immigrant advocacy groups, the focus remains on the treatment while in custody.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.



AUGUST 11, 2018 -- PART TWO

NEWS AND VIEWS


"He was a quiet guy.” THERE THAT WORD IS AGAIN – QUIET.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/08/11/washington-plane-theft-richard-russell-idd-man-who-stole-commercial-jet/968281002/?csp=chromepush
Who is Richard Russell? Man who stole commercial plane from a Washington airport identified
Christal Hayes, USA TODAY Published 6:23 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2018 | Updated 6:23 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2018

HIS CREATIVE FACEBOOK VIDEO IS REALLY VERY GOOD. THERE IS THAT WISTFULNESS, THOUGH, THAT TELLS ME HE ISN’T TOTALLY HAPPY, THOUGH. HAVE A LOOK AT IT.

Who is Richard Russell? Man who stole commercial plane from a Washington airport identified
Christal Hayes, USA TODAY Published 6:23 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2018 | Updated 6:23 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2018

VIDEO – TODAY IN HISTORY FOR AUGUST 11TH (Photo: AFP/Getty Images) -- Highlights of this day in history: Start of the Watts riots in Los Angeles; President Ronald Reagan's joke causes a Cold War flap; The Mall of America opens; 'Roots' author Alex Haley born; Painter Jackson Pollock killed in auto accident. (Aug. 11)AP, AP

Afp Afp 18a8db A Tac Tac Usa St
(Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

The man who authorities say stole a commercial airliner in Washington state Friday was identified as Richard Russell, according to the Associated Press and The Seattle Times.

The 29-year-old worked for Horizon Air, helping to handle luggage and towing aircrafts. Authorities say he had worked Friday, and was in uniform, when he got into the cockpit of a Horizon Airlines Bombardier Q400 plane and took off for an hourlong joyride.

He is believed to have died when the plane crashed into Ketron Island, about 30 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, setting off a large forest fire. Authorities say he was suicidal.

Russell went by “Beebo” on social media. In a humorous YouTube video he posted last year, he talked about his job and included videos and photos of his various travels.

“I lift a lot of bags. Like a lot of bags. So many bags,” he said.

"He was a quiet guy. It seemed like he was well liked by the other workers," former coworker Rick Christenson told The Seattle Times. "I feel really bad for Richard and for his family. I hope they can make it through this."

Christenson told the newspaper he watched the plane and its dangerous stunts, not knowing that the pilot was his former coworker. When he saw smoke rising from the woods, he realized the worst had happened.

A blog that appears to have belonged to Russell details that he was born in Key West, Florida, but moved to Alaska with his family when he was very young.

He wrote on the blog that he met his wife, Hannah, in Oregon when they were both attending school. They owned a bakery shop and settled down in Sumner, Washington, in 2015, which is when he got his job at Horizon Air.

Russell says on the blog that he liked his job because it allowed him to travel back to Alaska to see his family.

Plane stolen from Seattle airport crashes into island

PHOTOGRAPH -- Law enforcement officials stand at a staging area, Friday, Aug. 10, 2018, at the ferry terminal in Steilacoom, Wash., near where a Coast Guard spokeswoman said the agency was responding to a report of a smoke plume and possible plane crash. Earlier in the evening, officials at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport said an Alaska Airlines plane had been stolen and later crashed. Ted S. Warren, AP

"In this season of life, we enjoy exploring as much as possible, whether its a day (or so) trip to one of Alaska Airline’s destinations or visiting a new area of Washington," he wrote. "We consider ourselves bakery connoisseurs and have to try a new one every place we go."

He also included photos of his wedding and traveling he'd done in the mountains and other sites he'd seen, including some ancient ruins. Russell ended the "about" section of the blog with his dreams for the future: Moving up to become a manager at Horizon Air or joining the military as an officer.

During the ordeal, Russell could be heard on audio recordings telling air traffic controllers that he is “just a broken guy.”

One air traffic controller called the man “Rich,” and tried to persuade him to land the airplane. “There is a runway just off to your right side in about a mile,” the controller says, referring to an airfield at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

“Oh man. Those guys will rough me up if I try and land there,” Russell responded, later adding, “This is probably jail time for life, huh?”

Map locates the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Map locates the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Ketron Island southwest of Tacoma where a plane crashed. (Photo: Frank Pompa, USA TODAY)


TYT -- THESE ACTIVISTS ARE NOT MERELY ASSERTIVELY PROGRESSIVE POLITICALLY, I.E. “YOUNG TURKS,” BUT UYGUR IS INDEED A TURK, FROM ISTANBUL. SEE HIS INTERVIEW VIDEO OF HIM AND HIS FATHER IN THE AUGUST 10 BLOG ABOVE. IT’S A WARM AND BEAUTIFUL CONVERSATION BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.

WHO ARE THE YOUNG TURKS? (TYT)
Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations.(American Heritage Dictionary)
Category -- News & Politics


TYT VIDEOS FOR TONIGHT:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTGAGwmw-vg
#TYT #TheYoungTurks #TYTNetwork
Scientific Racism: The Oxymoron For Morons 15:14


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKhtTeMbw-Q
Corporate Democrats Panic About... Bernie Sanders! 3:45
ALSO CALLED “THIRD WAY.”

The Young Turks
Streamed live on Jul 24, 2018

Third Way is super worried the progressives are coming! Cenk Uygur, the host of The Young Turks, breaks it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below. http://www.tytnetwork.com/join

Hosts: Cenk Uygur (PRONOUNCED “JENK” “YUGRR”)
Cast: Cenk Uygur


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfy8iJaxQlE
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH UYGUR AND ANA KASPARIAN. 12:09
2020 Democratic Candidates Ranked By CNN

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFBFOBuoB3k
REPUBLICANS JUDGED BY TYT – KASPARIAN
Republicans Running Away From Their Billionaire Tax Cuts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk1V3iecJyU
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Makes Republicans Go INSANE
RAGE OF THE MACHINE 17:26



BERNIE SANDERS AUDIO INTERVIEW ON HIS SENATORIAL RUN

http://digital.vpr.net/post/campaign-2018-bernie-sanders-makes-his-case-third-term-senator#stream/0
Vermont Edition
Campaign 2018: Bernie Sanders Makes His Case For A Third Term As Senator
By BOB KINZEL • AUG 10, 2018

PHOTOGRAPH -- Sen. Bernie Sanders is running for a third term in the U.S. senate. He'll be on the primary ballot seeking the Democratic nomination.
STEVEN SENNE / AP

Sen. Bernie Sanders is running for a third term in the U.S. Senate. He'll be on the primary ballot on Tuesday, Aug. 14, seeking the Democratic nomination.

Vermont Edition spoke to Sen. Sanders about his reasons for running and his top priorities.

Broadcast on Friday, Agust 10, 2018 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.


THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE RIGHTIST RAMPAGE LAST YEAR AT CHARLOTTESVILLE

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/charlottesville-virginia-peaceful-events-heavy-security-mark-anniversary-of-deadly-white-nationalist-rally-2018-08-11/
CBS/AP August 11, 2018, 6:58 PM
Peaceful events, heavy security mark anniversary of deadly white nationalist rally

NEWS VIDEO – FACE THE NATION

RELATED: Trump condemns racism and violence ahead of anniversary of fatal Charlottesville rally
RELATED: Airbnb, Lyft, Uber allowing service to be denied to Unite the Right marchers

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Charlottesville, Virginia, was marking the anniversary of last summer's white supremacist violence with marches, vigils and other community events that began unfolding peacefully Saturday amid a heavy police presence. As many businesses in a popular downtown shopping district began to open Saturday, law enforcement officers outnumbered visitors.

Concrete barriers and metal fences had been erected, and police were searching bags at two checkpoints where people could enter or leave.

"It's nice that they're here to protect us," said Lara Mitchell, 66, a sales associate at a shop that sells artwork, jewelry, and other items. "It feels good that they're here in front of our store. Last year was a whole different story. It looked like a war zone last year compared to what it is today."

Saturday marked the anniversary of a nighttime march by torch-toting white supremacists through the University of Virginia's campus a day ahead of a larger rally in Charlottesville's downtown.

On Aug. 12, hundreds of white nationalists — including neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members — descended on Charlottesville in part to protest the city's decision decided to remove a monument to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a park.

Trump condemns racism and violence ahead of anniversary of fatal Charlottesville rally
Airbnb, Lyft, Uber allowing service to be denied to Unite the Right marchers
Violent fighting broke out between attendees and counter-protesters that day. Authorities eventually forced the crowd to disperse, but a car later barreled into a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. The day's death toll rose to three when a state police helicopter that had been monitoring the event and assisting with the governor's motorcade crashed, killing two troopers.

Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, spoke to CBSN on Saturday and said her daughter's death was an "emotional roller coaster."

"As long as I'm working, I'm not thinking too much or feeling too much," she said. "But I have to be honest that the weight of it is getting to me today and tomorrow."

Among the remembrance events scheduled for Saturday was a "morning of reflection and renewal" at UVA that featured musical performances, a poetry reading and an address from University President James Ryan.

Ryan recalled how a group of students and community members faced off against the white supremacist marchers near a statue of Thomas Jefferson on campus, calling it a "remarkable moment of courage and bravery."

Later Saturday evening, students and activists planned to hold a "Rally for Justice" on campus.

By midafternoon, the city said hundreds of people had passed through the downtown checkpoints. Police arrested three men in or near the secured perimeter for trespassing, possessing prohibited items and being drunk in public, the city said in a news release.

Gov. Ralph Northam and the city both declared states of emergency earlier in the week, citing the "potential impacts of events" during the anniversary weekend. The state's declaration allocates $2 million in state funds and authorizes the Virginia National Guard to assist in security efforts.

Some community activists were concerned that this year's heavy police presence could be a counterproductive overreaction.

An independent investigation of the rally violence, led by a former federal prosecutor, found the chaos last year stemmed from a passive response by law enforcement and poor preparation and coordination between state and city police.

Lisa Woolfork, a University of Virginia professor and Black Lives Matter Charlottesville organizer, said police are mounting a "huge, overwhelming show of force to compensate for last year's inaction."

"Last year, I was afraid of the Nazis. This year, I'm afraid of the police," Woolfork said. "This is not making anyone that I know feel safe."

But others said Saturday they were comforted by the security measures.

Kyle Rodland, who took his young sons to get ice cream downtown, said he felt much safer than last year, when he left town with his family and stayed with his parents after seeing people armed with long rifles walking around outside his home.

Events marking the anniversary were also expected Sunday in both Charlottesville and Washington, D.C., where Jason Kessler, the primary organizer of last summer's rally, has obtained a permit for a "white civil rights" rally.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/unite-the-right-dc-uber-airbnb-lyft-allowing-service-to-be-denied-to-marchers/
By JASON SILVERSTEIN CBS NEWS August 10, 2018, 4:08 PM
Airbnb, Lyft, Uber allowing service to be denied to Unite the Right marchers

VIEW GALLERY – 55 PHOTOGRAPHS
PHOTOGRAPH -- Hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and KKK members hurl water bottles against counter-demonstrators on the outskirts of Emancipation Park during the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia. CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

Marchers in this weekend's Unite the Right 2 white nationalist rally may have a harder time getting a ride or a room. Uber, Lyft and Airbnb are allowing drivers and hosts to deny service to potential customers who participate in the rally in Washington, D.C.

Each company issued statements this week that did not directly denounce Unite the Right marchers but made clear that providers can refuse service to anyone who makes them uncomfortable or violates guidelines against discrimination.

Lyft said it had made clear to drivers in the D.C. area that "their safety comes first."

"If they ever feel uncomfortable or disrespected by a passenger, they can cancel that ride," the ride-share company said in a statement to CBS News.

Uber sent a note to drivers this week emphasizing community guidelines about "respect, accountability, and common courtesy." It said the company may remove people from the platform for violating those rules.

"In general, regardless of event, drivers are advised to follow all local laws but have the right to refuse service to riders who are disrespectful or who make them feel unsafe," Uber said in a statement.

Violent Clashes Erupt at "Unite The Right" Rally In Charlottesville
Hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and KKK members hurl water bottles against counter-demonstrators on the outskirts of Emancipation Park during the Unite the Right rally Aug. 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia. CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES

Uber's announcement to drivers made no direct mention of Unite the Right and simply warned about "the active political climate in Washington, DC, and Virginia."

Airbnb, which banned some white nationalist users before last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, said it's ready to do that a second time.

"We acted in advance of last year's horrific event in Charlottesville and if we become aware of similar information we won't hesitate to do so again," the company said in a statement.

The rally is scheduled to be held Sunday near the White House in Washington's Lafayette Park. The website for Unite the Right urges marchers to meet at a Virginia Metro station and ride public transportation into the city.

The site also advises participants to take "an Uber or a taxi" to avoid police, press and protesters. It discourages marchers from staying with strangers or telling them about the march.

"Don't let strangers know where you're staying. If you're going to be in town on Saturday, August 11th please stay with trusted friends and don't talk to strangers about your participation in the rally," the website says.

Jason Kessler, the rally's organizer, did not immediately return a message from CBS News.

Uber, Lyft and Airbnb each took some actions against white nationalists around the time of last year's march. According to BuzzFeed News, Uber permanently banned white supremacist James Allsup after an Uber driver in Washington kicked him out of her vehicle. Tim Gionet — an alt-right leader better known as Baked Alaska — was also banned for allegedly making racist remarks.

Last year's Unite the Right rally ended with violent clashes between marchers and counter-protesters. One counter-protester, Heather Heyer, was killed when a rally-goer allegedly plowed his car into a crowd. The driver, James Alex Fields, has been indicted on federal hate-crime and state murder charges.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam and the city of Charlottesville have declared a state of emergency for the anniversary of last year's rally. No rally has been scheduled for Charlottesville this year because the city refused to issue a permit.

© 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.