Cages

In 2014 the number of unaccompanied minors entering the country increased rapidly and the Custom and Border Protection (CBP) built chain length enclosures to handle the overflow. These children were only supposed to stay no longer than 72 hours but many stayed longer sometimes months. These enclosures were used to separate young men from young women and adults from children. Children were separated from their parents when one of the parents had a criminal record. During 2014 minors were held in appalling and inhumane conditions designed for short-term stays of 12 hours or less and were often overcrowded. They were called hieleras or iceboxes by detainees due to their frigid low temperatures. They slept on concrete floors with thin blankets. They lacked basic hygiene supplies like soap, diapers and toothbrushes. Toilets were open and shared. This was the situation when Trump took office and instigated a zero tolerance for criminal migrants and when parents were detained for prosecution the children were separated from their families and kept in facilities around the country. More than 5,000 children fell into this category. They were later reconnected with their families and by the time Biden took office there were still 1,000 separated. During the next four years more than 300,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the border and were lost by the border patrol and since Trump started his second term 130,000 of those lost children have been found.