Both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have passed emergency spending bills to aid the ongoing humanitarian crises at the U.S.-Mexico Border. Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley voted against both.
In a press release, Merkley explained that neither of the bills addressed Homestead, the Florida detainment facility for unaccompanied minors.
“ It’s a mega-child-migrant prison designed now to hold 3,200 children. There are about 2,400 there right now so thousands of children in a single facility.”
Merkley says the center should be subject to the Flores Settlement Agreement which requires minors to be housed in safe and sanitary facilities and on track toward family reunification.
Merkley’s fellow Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden also voted against the Senate bill stating it doesn’t go far enough. But, he did vote yes for the House’s 4.5 billion dollar emergency aid bill.
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