>> HANS, THANKS VERY MUCH. HANS NICHOLS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THESE
DEVELOPMENTS AS WE GET THEM.
>>> SO WE KNOW JOHN SANDERS THE
ACTING HEAD OF CUSTOMS AND
BORDER PROTECTION HAS RESIGNED,
AND HANS IS SAYING WE DON’T
NECESSARILY KNOW WHY.
>> WE DON’T HAVE THE CONNECTION
CONFIRMED.
CONFIRMED. >> BUT WE KNOW AT THE SAME TIME
THIS GROWING OUTCRY OF REPORTS
OVER THE LIVING CONDITIONS, THE
DESPICABLE LIVING CONDITIONS FOR
CHILDREN AT THE MIGRANT
DETENTION CENTER DOWN IN CLINT,
TEXAS WHERE NOW THERE IS A
NATIONWIDE OUTCRY THAT LED TO
THE TRANSFER OF ALMOST 300 KIDS
TO OTHER FACILITIES.
EYEWITNESSES LIKE IMMIGRATION
LAWYER LAURA MUCKERGY SAYS THE
SITUATION IS ACTUALLY DIRE.
>> WE MET WITH CHILDREN WHO
CROSSED THE BORDER MORE THAN
THREE WEEKS AGO.
MOST OF THE CHILDREN WHO I MET
WITH HAVEN’T HAD ANY OPPORTUNITY
TO BATHE OR SHOWER SINCE
CROSSING THE BORDER.
THERE IS NO ACCESS TO SOAP.
THERE IS NO ACCESS TO
TOOTHBRUSHES FOR THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF
CHILDREN WHO WE MET WITH.
THE CHILDREN AREN’T BEING GIVEN
ENOUGH FOOD.
ENOUGH FOOD. THEY’RE HUNGRY.
THEY’RE HUNGRY. THE FACILITY IS VERY COLD AT
NIGHT.
NIGHT. CHILDREN HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY
HAVE HAD TROUBLE SLEEPING
BECAUSE THEY’RE SO HUNGRY AND
THEY WAKE UP BECAUSE OF THE
COLD.
COLD. THESE ARE THE MOST APPALLING
CONDITIONS I HAVE SEEN IN MY 12
YEARS OF REPRESENTING CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES WHO ARE DETAINED.
>> LAWYERS WHO VISITED THE SITE
TELL NBC NEWS THAT CHILDREN AS
YOUNG AS 7 AND 8 WERE FORCED TO
CARRY FOR 2-YEAR-OLDS, SOME EVEN
YOUNGER, AND THE TEEN MOTHERS
WORE CLOTHING THAT WAS STAINED
WITH BREAST MILK.
THEY SAY MEDICAL CARE INSIDE THE
MIGRANT CENTER IS ALSO SLIM TO
NONE.
NONE. THE TEXAS TRIBUNE WRITES, THOSE
ATTORNEYS SAY AT LEAST 15
CHILDREN HAVE THE FLU AND
DESCRIBED A SICK AND DIAPERLESS
BOY WHOSE SHIRT WAS SMEARED WITH
MUCUS BEING TAKEN CARE OF BY
THREE GIRLS, EACH OF THOSE GIRLS
UNDER THE AGE OF 15.
AND THIS IS NOT HAPPENING IN
CLINT, TEXAS, ALONE.
THE TEXAS TRIBUNE SAYS THE
CONDITIONS INSIDE THE NATION’S
LARGEST CUSTOMS AND BORDER
PATROL PROCESSING CENTER FOR
MIGRANTS IN McALLEN, TEXAS, ALSO
UNSANITARY AND OVERCROWDED.
THE PAPER REPORTS MIGRANTS ARE
SOMETIMES, QUOTE, FORCED TO
SLEEP OUTSIDE A BUILDING WHERE
THE WATER TASTES LIKE BLEACH.
THE NEW YORKER FOUND MANY OF THE
CHILDREN REPORTED SLEEPING ON
CONCRETE FLOORS.
CONCRETE FLOORS. THEY WERE GIVEN A BLANKET BUT
SOME HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN
SLEEPING ON A BLANKET OR
SLEEPING UNDER A BLANKET.
THE AP DESCRIBES LITTLE KIDS
THAT ARE SO TIRED THEY WERE
FALLING ASLEEP ON CHAIRS.
SO TO RECAP, CHILDREN WERE LEFT
WITHOUT A TOOTHBRUSH, WITHOUT A
BED, THEY WERE LEFT FILTHY,
HUNGRY, TIRED, AND SICK AND
FORCED TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER
INSTEAD OF BEING TAKEN CARE OF
IN A TAXPAYER FUNDED FACILITY.
AND ALI, WE SHOULD JUST POINT
OUT, EVEN FOR THOSE HARD LINE
ANTI-IMMIGRATION PEOPLE, IT IS
NOT LIKE WE’RE -- WE’RE NOT
SPENDING MONEY.
SPENDING MONEY. $750 A DAY.
>> IS WHAT IT COSTS.
>> IS BEING DESIGNATED, IS WHAT
IT COSTS, SO CLEARLY IT IS NOT
GETTING TO THEM.
ONE OF THOSE IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEYS WAS ON WITH CHRIS
HAYES LAST NIGHT, AND SHE SAID
IF THEY REUNITED THESE CHILDREN
WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO
ARE IN THE UNITED STATES, THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT WOULD SAVE
$1 BILLION.
$1 BILLION. THE ARGUMENT THAT WE NEED TO
SPEND THE MONEY ON AMERICANS,
WE’RE SPENDING THE MONEY, IT’S
JUST NOT BEING USED.
>> NOT WELL SKPRGS, AND WE’RE DO
SOMETHING THAT REGARDLESS OF
WHERE YOU STAND ON IMMIGRATION
OR THE BORDER, THERE’S NOBODY
WHO THINKS WE SHOULD BE CAUSING
CHILDREN TO SUFFER THIS WAY.
JOINING US IS NBC’S GABE
GUTIERREZ.
GUTIERREZ. LET’S START WITH YOU.
YOU’VE GOT SOME NEWS ABOUT THE
CHILDREN WHO WERE TRANSFERRED
OUT OF CLINT.
HOW MANY OF THEM WERE THERE, AND
WHAT’S THE LATEST?
>> Reporter: HI THERE, ALI.
NEARLY 300 CHILDREN WERE
TRANSFERRED OUT OF THIS
FACILITY.
FACILITY. IT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, BUT
THIS MORNING WE HEARD FROM CBP
OFFICIALS WHO SAID THAT ABOUT
100 HAVE COME BACK TO THIS
FACILITY.
FACILITY. NOW, IT’S UNCLEAR EXACTLY HOW
MANY OF THOSE WERE PREVIOUSLY
HERE OR HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE
ACTUALLY NEW UNACCOMPANIED
CHILDREN THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT
HERE, BUT THE FACT REMAINS IS
THAT AT LEAST 100 OR SO CHILDREN
ARE NOW BACK AT THIS FACILITY,
WHICH, AS WE HEARD, HAS HAD
ALLEGATIONS OF, YOU KNOW,
OVERCROWDING AND ALLEGATIONS OF
FILTHY CONDITIONS.
FILTHY CONDITIONS. NOW WE ALSO HEARD FROM A CBP
OFFICIAL WHO SAID THAT WHEN IT
CAME TO THESE CIVIL RIGHTS
ABUSES, THESE ALLEGATIONS OF
CIVIL RIGHTS ABUSES, THAT THE
AGENCY TOOK THESE ALLEGATIONS
VERY SERIOUSLY AND THEY’VE BEEN
REFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF
INSPECTOR GENERAL, BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, WHEN THAT OFFICIAL
WAS PRESSED ABOUT THE
ALLEGATIONS OF CHILDREN NOT
BEING -- NOT GUILTY BEINGBEING A
HAVE SNACKS, THAT OFFICIAL SAID
QUOTE, I DON’T BUY IT, AND I
PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE THE
ALLEGATIONS.
ALLEGATIONS. >> WE JUST PLAYED SOME OF THE
SOUND FROM THE LAWYER YOU
INTERVIEWED.
INTERVIEWED. WHAT ELSE DID SHE TELL YOU ABOUT
THE CONDITIONS INSIDE THE
DETENTION CENTER?
DETENTION CENTER? >> Reporter: WELL, ALI, SHE SAYS
THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE’S WORKED
WITH TWO CHILDREN 6 AND 10 YEARS
OLD THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN
INSIDE THIS DETENTION CENTER,
AND SHE SAID THAT THEY DIDN’T
HAVE SOAP, THAT THEY DIDN’T HAVE
TOOTHBRUSHES, THAT THEY DIDN’T
HAVE EASY ACCESS TO SHOWERS, AND
SHE SAYS THAT AT ONE POINT THEY
GOT SICK WITH THE FLU.
THIS ALSO GOES ALONG WITH WHAT
WE’VE HEARD FROM OTHER
IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS AND
ACTIVISTS WHO SAY THAT THERE WAS
EVEN A LICE INFESTATION INSIDE
THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY.
THIS IS ALL PART OF THE LARGER
CONTEXT, WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN
REPORTING ON ABOUT THESE
OVERCROWDING AT THESE CBP
FACILITIES.
FACILITIES. CHILDREN ARE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE
IN THESE FACILITIES FOR NO MORE
THAN 72 HOURS, AND OVER AND OVER
AGAIN WE’RE NOW HEARING FROM
THESE IMMIGRATION ATTORNEYS AND
IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS THAT THEY
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR MUCH LONGER
THAN THAT, DAYS, EVEN WEEKS
LONGER THAN THAT.
SO CERTAINLY A LOT.
THIS IS A LARGER CONTEXT THAT WE
NOW ARE HEARING THE BREAKING
NEWS ABOUT THE ACTING CBP
COMMISSIONER TO RESIGN NOW AMID
ALL THIS CONTROVERSY.
>> CAL, WALK US THROUGH WHAT
YOU’VE BEEN HEARING FROM
SPENDING TIME IN THIS IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITY?
COMMUNITY? >> Reporter: YEAH, SO LET’S TAKE
THE BROADER LOOK AT THIS NOW.
WHEN THOSE FACILITIES GET
OVERCROWDED THAT GABE IS TALKING
ABOUT, OFTENTIMES KIDS WILL COME
TO PLACES LIKE WHERE I’M AT HERE
IN HOMESTEAD, BUT THIS IS A FOR
PROFIT PRIVATELY RUN DETENTION
FACILITY WITH THOUSANDS OF KIDS
IN IT.
IN IT. IT’S RUN BY A COMPANY CALLED
COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES
WHICH IS OWNED BY A COMPANY
CALLED CALBURN INTERNATIONAL.
IT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND.
IMAGINE A FOR PROFIT COMPANY
RUNNING A DETENTION FACILITY FOR
KIDS IN AMERICA.
BY THE WAY, A FEDERAL FACILITY
JUST ACROSS THE STREET, SO STATE
OFFICIALS CAN’T GET INSIDE.
THEY CAN’T INSPECT IT.
IT’S NOT EVEN CERTIFIED HERE IN
THE STATE OF FLORIDA.
WE ARE, OF COURSE, ABOUT 40
MILES SOUTH OF MIAMI, SO
POLITICS ARE GOING TO GET
WRAPPED INTO THIS.
THE DEBATE IS GOING TO GET
WRAPPED INTO IT.
CANDIDATES ARE COMING HERE.
THEY’RE TRYING TO GET INTO THE
FACILITY.
FACILITY. THEY’RE BEING DENIED ACCESS, THE
MOST RECENT ONE CONGRESSMAN IN
OUR DEBATE ON THURSDAY --
>> HOLD ON.
>> YEP.
>> YEP. >> IF THIS IS A PRIVATE FACILITY
AND LAWMAKERS CAN’T GET IN, HOW
DO THE KIDS GET THERE?
WHO DESIGNATES IT?
>> THERE’S NO OVERSIGHT.
THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT ON THIS
FACILITY OTHER THAN WHAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CHOOSES TO DO
IN THIS FACILITY, AND WHEN YOU
HAVE KIDS INSIDE AGES 13 TO 17
AND YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THEIR
POINT OF CONTACTS, AND YOU’RE
TRYING TO GET THEM TO THEIR
AUNTS AND THEIR UNCLES OR THEIR
COUSINS OR THEIR BROTHERS, HOW
DO I KNOW YOU’RE WORKING HARDS
TO DO THAT WHEN YOU’RE WORKING
FOR A FOR PROFIT FACILITY.
WE HAD CONGRESSMAN SWALWELL
HERE, I ASKED HIM THAT, WHAT DO
YOU SAY TO THE FAMILIES ACROSS
AMERICA WHO ARE WAITING FOR
THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, HERE’S
WHAT HE SAID?
>> TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN INSIDE THIS
CAMP, I TELL THEM THE PEOPLE
BEHIND ME SHOW UP EVERY DAY, AND
THEY CARE, AND THESE CHILDREN
ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, AND THESE
CHILDREN ARE THOUGHT ABOUT AND
CARED ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DAY,
AND INSIDE CONGRESS THERE ARE
MORE PEOPLE THAN NOT WHO WANT TO
CLOSE THESE CAMPS.
WE JUST NEED A PRESIDENT THAT
WOULD NEVER ALLOW A CAMP LIKE
THIS TO EXIST IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
PLACE. >> Reporter: ALI, STEPHANIE, YOU
GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A
YEAR LIKE I HAVE FROM TORNILLO A
YEAR AGO TO THIS FACILITY HERE.
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS SAID IN
COURT, QUOTE, THE REASON THAT WE
DON’T HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE
FLORES AGREEMENT, WE CAN HOLD
CHILDREN IN THERE FOR MORE THAN
20 DAYS QUOTE, THIS IS QUOTE, AN
EMERGENCY AND TEMPORARY INFLUX
CENTER.
CENTER. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THIS
WAS OPENED MARCH OF LAST YEAR,
GUYS.
GUYS. >> MARCH OF LAST YEAR, BUT IT’S
AN EMERGENCY.
AN EMERGENCY. >> THIS COMPANY, LET ME JUST ASK
QUICKLY, IS THIS THE SAME
COMPANY THAT JOHN KELLY JOINED
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF IN THE
LAST SIX MONTHS?
BECAUSE HE JOINED THE BOARD OF A
PRIVATE PRISON.
PRIVATE PRISON. IS IT THIS ONE?
>> Reporter: YEAH, IT’S THIS
ONE, HE WAS SPOTTED BY ACTIVISTS