Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has leveled a serious allegation against the federal Department of Health and Human Services: that child abuse is occurring in an emergency care facility at Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.
The accusation 鈥� made in a Tuesday-evening press conference 鈥� marks an elevation in the governor鈥檚 public campaign against the Biden administration鈥檚 border policy.
Abbott has repeatedly criticized the administration鈥檚 decision to allow unaccompanied children into the country, calling it 鈥渙pen border policies鈥� 鈥� even though families and adults are still turned away, in violation of federal and international asylum law.
There are about 1,645 children staying at the San Antonio Emergency Intake Shelter as of April 7 according to HHS.
In a hasty press conference on Tuesday, Abbott said state agencies have received complaints about sexual abuse, lack of food, lack of supervision and improper COVID-19 protocols at emergency intake site in San Antonio operated by HHS. He said the people who made the allegations are remaining anonymous.
鈥淭o end this abuse, the Biden administration must immediately shut down this facility,鈥� Abbott added.
According to the , Texas child welfare officials said they received three reports alleging 鈥渁buse and neglect鈥� and the state is investigating. Abbott said the claims were reported to two different state agencies.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have their names, and I don鈥檛 know if their names were disclosed,鈥� Abbott said during the press conference. 鈥淚 will say this, however, it is my understanding the allegations come from more than one person who has been in this facility.鈥�
He said they didn鈥檛 know how many children were reported to be abused but were 鈥渃oncerned it could be more than one.鈥�
If true, this a migrant child was abused in federal custody, but state officials are investigating these claims at an emergency facility for unaccompanied children who cross the Mexico-Texas border.
When asked why he鈥檚 holding a press conference about the allegations now, Abbott said, 鈥淭his is the first allegation of abuse received by a Texas State agency 鈥� that I'm aware of 鈥� during the course of this episode of children coming across the border.鈥�
The governor previously requested access to federal facilities in Texas, so that state law enforcement could interview detained children about how they got to the border.
Precinct 1 Bexar County Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores toured the facility with Abbott after his press conference. She she wishes the governor 鈥渉ad done his tour before the press conference when he politicized children.鈥�
She added that children are put in COVID-19 鈥減ods鈥� and are fed three meals a day.
Former San Antonio mayor and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Juli谩n Castro also criticized Abbott for announcing these allegations before conducting investigations into the complaints.
鈥淚f he has reason to believe that there is mistreatment what he should do is turn that information over to federal authorities who are charged with investigating these things so that they can be addressed. Instead of that, he held a dramatic press conference at the Freeman Coliseum and has said the state government, that does not have purview over these issues鈥� is going to do an investigation,鈥� said Castro.
Officials with HHS鈥� Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) said they don鈥檛 discuss individual cases regarding unaccompanied children.
鈥淥RR has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and inappropriate sexual behavior at all UC (unaccompanied children) care provider facilities and acts quickly to address any alleged violations of policy, including initiating employee disciplinary action, termination, or reporting to appropriate investigative entities, such as law enforcement agencies and relevant licensing bodies. We will not comment further on the specifics of the referenced cases,鈥� a statement said.
Representatives with RAICES 鈥� a non-profit legal service that focuses on immigration 鈥� said they don鈥檛 have any information on the facility and can鈥檛 comment on the issues the governor raised.
鈥淒espite earlier reports that RAICES provides services at the Freeman Coliseum in Bexar County, TX, our organization has not been contacted to provide the legal services there that we have provided in similar locations, including Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Bliss, Tornillo and Carrizo Springs,鈥� said Jonathan Ryan, CEO at RAICES, in a statement.
鈥淲e do want to make it clear that our priority is the well-being of the children, and because of that, we have joined other organizations in San Antonio calling for more oversight on these children detention facilities. That demand stands.鈥�
TPR was founded by and is supported by our community. If you value our commitment to the highest standards of responsible journalism and are able to do so, please consider making your .
Copyright 2021 Texas Public Radio. To see more, visit .