Sen. Schatz Says Border Conditions ‘Inhumane’

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) has offered his take on the situation at the border after seeing it with his own eyes over the weekend.

On Saturday, July 21, 2019, Sen. Schatz toured southern border facilities in McAllen, Texas, with a 13-member Senate Democratic delegation. The delegation visited Border Patrol facilities, as well as a Catholic respite center providing aid to asylum seekers. The senators also met with local NGOs that have been providing assistance and legal aid to families fleeing violence.

“What I saw was awful,” Sen. Schatz said. “People are being held in overcrowded quarters and unable to shower for days. Many are suffering from trauma and some aren’t receiving the care they need. It’s inhumane. These people are all fleeing violence and seeking refuge. This is not how we should be treating them.”

This video shows a brief an interaction between Sen. Schatz and a detainee at the facility.