The administration of President Donald Trump is today reported to be considering a plan to detain separated migrant children at Fort Benning, a military base in the state of Georgia.
NBC News was first to report the new concentration camp plans, and cited a Department of Defense source.
“Two sources familiar with a recent meeting on the proposal said the children would be housed away from the rest of the population but still on base,” write Courtney Kube and Julia Ainsley of NBC News:
The Department of Health and Human Services, the agency responsible for sheltering immigrant children who cross the border without their parents, is currently operating near capacity, resulting in a backlog of children staying in overcrowded border stations.
No decision has been made yet, but Defense Department spokesman Major Chris Mitchell said that HHS would soon be touring Fort Benning with defense officials.
“Health and Human Services will conduct a site assessment of DOD property for potential future use by HHS as temporary emergency influx shelter for unaccompanied alien children (UAC) at Fort Benning, Georgia,” Mitchell said.
“DOD officials will join the HHS staff as they tour the property available for potential future use. HHS will make the determination if the site will be used for UAC operations. This effort will have no impact on DOD’s ability to conduct its primary missions nor on military readiness,” he said.
PHOTO: FORT BENNING, GEORGIA. Fort Benning Flyover/Silver wings Jump, September 03, 2015. Photos by: Patrick A. Albright/MCoE Photographer, VIA fortbenningphotos.com