A look inside #Trump "immigration facility": 'effectively, these kids are incarcerated'

A look inside Trump immigration facility: 'effectively, these kids are incarcerated'



Today, MSNBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff was one of a small group of reporters allowed inside the largest facility for immigrant children in the U.S. – the facility Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) was refused entry to earlier this month. Jacob joins Lawrence to share what he saw. Sen. Merkley also joins the discussion.Jun.13.2018

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Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
8h8 hours ago

Just finished tour, don’t even know where to start.

One of the first things you notice when you walk into the shelter — no joke — a mural of Trump with the quote “sometimes losing a battle you find a new way to win the war.”

Presidential murals everywhere. But that one is 1st.
1,205 replies 9,989 retweets 12,963 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
8h8 hours ago

This shelter, Casa Padre, is the largest licensed childcare facility of its kind in the country. Nearly 1,500 boys 10-17 in here now. They’re supposed to sleep four to room. Nearly every room has 5. They’ve received a variance from the state because of overcrowding.
148 replies 3,663 retweets 5,830 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
8h8 hours ago

Officials here said they’ve never had an MS-13 member here, ever.
64 replies 2,927 retweets 6,984 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
7h7 hours ago

Moments after we walked in a shelter employee asked us to smile at hundreds of detained migrant kids in line for a meal because “they feel like animals in a cage being looked at.”
234 replies 4,599 retweets 6,914 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
7h7 hours ago

Kids here get only two hours a day to be outside in fresh air.

One hour of structured time.

One hour of free time.

The rest of the day is spent inside a former Wal Mart.
251 replies 5,780 retweets 7,936 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
7h7 hours ago

Instructions to employees in the lobby of the shelter if you encounter media:

1) “Immediatelt notify PD,” or the police department.

2) Call the shelter communications director.

In that order.

For the record, nobody called cops on us. We were invited by HHS and the shelter.
54 replies 2,734 retweets 5,518 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
7h7 hours ago

This mega-shelter is run by trained staff — a nonprofit.

I believe the worker looking after these kids who said she’d like to see a day when they don’t have to do this.

But things are moving in the wrong direction — capacity is 1497 and tonight 1469 boys will sleep here.
111 replies 2,435 retweets 5,069 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
7h7 hours ago

I have been inside a federal prison and county jails.

This place is called a shelter but these kids are incarcerated.

No cells and no cages, and they get to go to classes about American history and watch Moana, but they’re in custody.

Coming up on @allinwithchris next.
221 replies 4,861 retweets 8,559 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
6h6 hours ago

Something I just told @chrislhayes: this place is a licensed child care facility with trained staff. There are 26 operated by the same nonprofit, @SouthwestKey.

Its president told me that potential new tent cities that will be on federal property *don’t* have to be licensed.
171 replies 3,485 retweets 4,872 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
6h6 hours ago

Starting to get some handout photos from our tour with @HHSGov.

Here’s the Trump mural I mentioned to @chrislhayes inside the shelter for incarcerated child migrants.

Also their beds and the towels they shower with.
1,140 replies 6,990 retweets 6,273 likes
Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
5h5 hours ago

Here are some photos of the boys in the cafeteria.

This is not a school cafeteria.

Hundreds called to eat at a time on rotating shifts.

When I told @chrislhayes it felt like a prison or jail, I was thinking about this.
327 replies 3,052 retweets 4,199 likes

Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff

One final thing that stuck out: this former WalMart is 250,000 square feet.

The boys have under *40* square feet of living space each.

Lights go out in there at 9PM every night.

Will have more tomorrow on @TODAYshow, @Morning_Joe & @MSNBC.

Thanks for sharing this story.
11:24 PM - 13 Jun 2018

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Neil Cheney
Martine ✨🏳️?🌈☸️☮️
J
SusieQ
Aedin Bemont
Rachel
Pamela Liebegott
Linda Kovacevich
Lisa calls bullshit!

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Jacob Soboroff
?Verified account @jacobsoboroff
2h2 hours ago

I agree with @lawrence.

We likely wouldn’t have had a shot at getting inside Casa Padre tonight had @SenJeffMerkley not tried and been turned away before us.

Here’s my conversation with them both tonight.
48 replies 402 retweets 1,031 likes


Andy Dufresne
? @oldandydufresne
2h2 hours ago

Link to tweet

Replying to @jacobsoboroff @TODAYshow and

Thank you for shining a light on this story but I think you were putting too much importance in the Southwest Key Programs being licensed.

.@SouthwestKey company & the state representatives who keep the facade going are as disgraceful as they come.