In the wake of the death of a second migrant child in U.S. custody within the past two weeks, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced on Wednesday the government is calling on several federal agencies to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection implement a host of new directives intended to improve how it cares for children and adults held in federal facilities.
“In response to the unprecedented surge of children into our custody, I have directed a series of extraordinary protective measures,” Nielsen said in a statement.
She explained the changes had been enacted as a result of the “heartbreaking” death of Guatemalan Felipe Gomez Alonso, 8, who died after being diagnosed with a cold and a high fever in New Mexico on Monday night.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
