Amid the ongoing surge in unaccompanied migrant children traveling the U.S.-Mexico border, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is being asked whether officials plan to place a limit on the number of children they let into the country.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Psaki was asked by Fox News’ Kristin Fisher if the administration will limit the number of migrant children who are allowed into the country.
She responded, “So should we send some kids who are 10 back at a certain point? Is that what you’re asking me?”
Fisher noted that around 565 migrant children are allowed into the country every day. She added, “I’m just curious what the end game is here. How many ultimately will be let in?”
Psaki said the administration is “focused on some of the very specific numbers,” as noted that staffing and the number of beds in shelters designed to hold migrants were reduced under the Trump administration.
“This was sufficient for the prior administration. This is how we got here, because they were expelling children in addition to families and single adults,” she said.
Additionally, she noted the steps the Biden administration has taken to “expedite” the processing of migrant children to decrease the amount of time they spend in government custody.
Finally, she said, “Our policy continues to be we’re not going to send a 10-year-old back across the border. That was the policy of the last administration. That’s not our policy here.”
Watch the video below:
Fox News reporter asks WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki whether the administration will put a “cap” on unaccompanied minors allowed into the U.S.
— The Recount (@therecount) March 17, 2021
Psaki responds: “So should we send some kids who are 10 back at a certain point? Is that what you’re asking me?” pic.twitter.com/1uFYiOQiZn
Psaki’s comments come as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement on Tuesday that the U.S. is on pace to see the highest number of border crossings in 20 years.
He added that single adults and families are being turned away at the border.
However, unaccompanied children are being accepted into the country and initially held in shelters operated by Border Patrol. They are then transferred to facilities operated by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “until the child is placed with a sponsor here in the United States.”
The influx of child migrants has created a new challenge for officials as they try to keep pace with the surge.
CBS News reported on Wednesday that there are 13,000 children in government custody, and shelters are quickly filling up.
