Nearly 6,000 Unaccompanied Minors Detected in One Month, Highlighting Strain on Shelter Capacity
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children are attempting to reach the United States, driven by a mix of natural disasters, violence, and economic hardship in their home countries. In January, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded a sharp increase, encountering 5,871 children at the southwest border without parents or legal guardians, the highest number since the onset of the public health crisis in early 2020.
While this surge is relatively low compared to the crisis year of 2019, when more than 76,000 unaccompanied minors were apprehended, the situation remains concerning. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), responsible for housing these children, has faced significant challenges due to Covid-19 restrictions, which have reduced its shelter capacity by nearly half. With around 5,700 beds already occupied out of a total of 7,100, ORR is preparing to reopen a controversial influx facility to accommodate the growing numbers.
Despite the lower overall numbers compared to past years, experts, such as Mark Greenberg from the Migration Policy Institute, warn that the lack of sufficient shelter space remains a critical issue.
