Florida migrant child camp emptying out

HOMESTEAD, Fla.  — A Florida detention camp that has housed thousands of undocumented migrant children is emptying out, federal officials said Saturday.

Health and Human Services Department spokeswoman Evelyn Stauffer said in an email that all children who had been at the facility are now either with family members or at smaller state-licensed centers. The camp has housed about 14,300 undocumented children in total since March 2018, the largest such facility in the country.

“HHS closely monitors referral numbers adjusting bed capacity to respond to changing levels of need,” Stauffer said.

Last month, HHS expedited the process for sending child migrants to live with relatives already in the U.S. by eliminating a fingerprinting requirement for adult siblings and grandparents. It also stopped universally requiring child abuse and neglect checks unless there are special concerns.

The Homestead facility, which will remain capable of housing migrant children, has been a frequent subject of protests and visits by members of Congress opposed to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

Stauffer said in the email that the number of beds at the Homestead center would be reduced from 2,700 beds to 1,200 beds in case they are needed. She added that no children have been placed there since July 3, but that may change in a few months.

“We anticipate an uptick in the number of referrals made to HHS this fall, based on historical trends,” Stauffer said.