Hundreds of Migrant Kids Reportedly Moved to Texas Tent City

Hundreds of migrant children from shelters across the U.S. have been moved to a tent city in South Texas in recent weeks in a move that advocates say could severely affect their emotional well-being, The New York Times reports. So far, more than 1,600 children have reportedly been woken in the middle of the night to make the journey to the tent city in Tornillo, where living conditions are generally a step-down from those in private foster homes and shelters. The children’s sleeping quarters reportedly include 20 bunks to a room, compared to two or three to a room in many other shelters. Access to legal services is limited, and the children do not receive formal schooling, according to the Times. Immigrant advocates have raised concerns that the Tornillo tent city, which recently expanded to house up to 3,800 children, is not subjected to the same safety and education requirements as the shelters where the children previously stayed. Advocates have also expressed fears over the impact that the relocation will have on the children’s emotional state, as several shelter workers told the Times the kids are given little to no warning of their relocation so that they won't try to flee.