be a vote later today. elaborate on your point about management versus funding. what does your reporting indicate about what breakdown is happening here. about 2, 2 1/2 weeks ago, we got these numbers that were staggering, that showed how many children were stuck in these border stations across the border. most was in the rio grande valley and el paso where the clint facility was, and then in yuma. we said, okay, they re overcrowded because yes they have a lot of unaccompanied children across the border, and there s not enough capacity for them to be sent to human services where they would be better taken care of. it was sort of a backlog. now it seems like, okay, even if they do have more funding if they can expand capacity, there s some basic human needs that aren t being taken care of. the maximum time they re supposed to be there, 72 hours, they re staying weeks, that can be part of the backlog. even if you re there for 72 hours, a fresh change of clothes, a shower, toothbrush, s
border station in west texas in clint. last night an eyewitness described an appalling situation. we saw children who were being forced to live in horrendous conditions that no child should ever have to live in. you mentioned the influenza outbreak, where children were put into isolation. lice infestation in one of the rooms, which required the border patrol guards remove all the bedding and sleep on the cement ground. including infants, toddlers and preschoolers. we saw the children who were dir by, and some of them smelled. we saw their clothes were stained, there was no soap, they were infrequently allowed to brush their teeth or take a shower. even then it was only for a moment or two. reports of those conditions spurred immediate outrage. soon came word that 300 children were being moved out of that facility. then came two pieces of news
people being treated this way in the part of the country that she represents in washington. for example, there was this report last month from the inspector general of the department of homeland security, report about a facility called the el paso del norte processing center which is in el paso, and what the inspector general reported was that that facility has a maximum capacity of 125 persons. when the i.g. sent people there to look at the facility, though, they were not at their maximum capacity of 125 people. that facility, instead, was holding 900 people. capacity for 125. holding 900. one cell, alone, a large cell that was designed to hold 35 people, it was stuffed with 155 people instead. to get air, to get breathing room, people were standing on the toilets in that facility because, of course, the toilets are out in the open in that facility, or at least they re out in what would have been the
admitted kids needed to stay longer. some kids were in the clint facility 14 days and they got sick with the flu while they were in there. 14 days when they are only supposed to be there 72 hours. after that, they are sent to other facilities run by the department of health and human services and office of refugee resettlement. but before they get to the other facilities, they are staying some facilityings like this one for border patrol for days and weeks like this, hallie. gabe, we will look for your reporting tonight on nbc nightly news . thank you much for joining us here, my friend. up next on this show, can you finally see robert mueller testifying in front of congress? the answer coming any day now. lawmakers get ready to subpoena the now former special counsel. we re talking with a leading house judiciary committee before that. e judiciary committee befoe atth johnson & johnson is a baby company.
remain in the clint border patrol station in el paso county. last week, lawyers found 255 kids in beyond alarming condition in the same station. many questions remain to understand what happened and the trump administration should answer. how many children in clint were separated from their parents? what is the administration doing to reunite these families? who will be held accountable for these atrocities? children do not belong in detention and donald trump s failed policies are only harming children and promoting needless and cruel family separations. this must end. joining us now is congresswoman veronica escobar of texas. congresswoman, thank you so much for being with us tonight. really appreciate it, especially at this busy time. hi, rachel, thank you for having me. let me first just ask you if i accurately summarized what we have come to learn over these last few days and let me ask you if we have any further news as to how this is developing tonight. we have no further