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The Biden administration could need as many as 34,100 more beds to keep up with the projected number of unaccompanied children arriving at the border. The pandemic and rising numbers of border crossings has led to a shortage in shelter space for migrant children, leading thousands to be held in border facilities designed for adults. The administration had close to 5,500 unaccompanied migrant children in Customs and Border Protection custody and over 12,550 children in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HHS has recently announced several new facilities, including repurposed convention centers and military sites, will house these children. Still, government projections show they may not be enough. CNN Politics
In other national immigration news…
Press Granted Access To Migrant Facilities
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Sunday that reporters will get access to Border Patrol facilities housing migrant children in the near future. The Biden administration is “absolutely committed” to allow reporters and cameras inside, she said. “We are mindful that we are in the middle of the pandemic. We want to keep the kids safe. We want to keep the staff safe,” she added. When it comes to the rise of migrant children in Border Patrol and HHS custody, Psaki argued that the Trump administration sent young children back to unsafe situations. The Biden administration has faced pressure over the amount of migrants in U.S. custody since Biden took office in January and reversed some of Trump’s policies. The Hill
32 Homeland Security Advisory Council Members Fired
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sent a letter Friday to 32 members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council terminating their roles on the board. The coalition is designed to give Mayorkas advice and expertise from people in the homeland security sector to guide his decisions, but was largely full of Trump administration holdovers. Members let go include former National Security Agency director Keith Alexander, former acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, and former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Tom Homan. Mayorkas will rebuild a new council within the next few weeks with a “diverse membership representative of America and the communities DHS serves,” a DHS spokesperson said. Politico
