Examining Migrant Detention Camps: Current Affairs in Texas Politics

This essay examines the current state of affairs in Texas concerning migrant detention camps, particularly in the El Paso and Tornillo regions. It highlights the impact of the Trump administration's 'Zero Tolerance Policy' and the subsequent increase in detained children, including unaccompanied minors. The essay points out the overcrowding in facilities like Tornillo, originally designed for 400 but housing over 2400 children. It raises concerns about restricted access for journalists, the strategic location of the camps away from public view, and reports of racial segregation. The author critiques the administration's handling of illegal immigration, suggesting that resources are being misallocated and that the policy is inhumane. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for transparency and improved border control or proper rehabilitation of immigrants already in the country, advocating for solutions that serve the public interest. Desklib provides a platform for students to access similar essays and study resources.

Running head: CURRENT AFFAIRS IN TEXAS
CURRENT AFFAIRS IN TEXAS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CURRENT AFFAIRS IN TEXAS
Texas being quite closer to the border between the United States of America and Mexico,
is a transit path for illegal migrants entering the country. It is also the state which has the highest
concentration of the detention camps for the children of the illegal migrants entering the United
States of America from Mexico.
Over the months, ever since the passage of the announcement of the ‘Zero Tolerance
Policy’ by the Donald Trump administration, the regions of El Paso and Tornillo in Texas has
witnessed an increasing number of the children of the illegal migrants entering the United States
of America. By the Zero Tolerance Policy, Trump administration has been embarking upon
detaining the parents and the children separately in makeshift camps. The Tornillo facility does
not just house children who had illegally entered into the United States of America, but also
young teenagers who have on their own trespassed into the country (Delgado, 2018).
As per the reports gathered, the Tornillo facility for housing the children of the illegal
migrants was originally designed to house just 400, but currently the facility is housing over
2400 children which is manifold times greater than its original capacity. The plan to shut down
the facilities had been floated by the administration by the end of the year 2018, however, there
has been no signs of the facilities being dismantled. The temporary shelters have been provided
with air condition and all facilities to ensure that he children do not face any problem. On the flip
side the entry of the journalists into the facilities have been highly restricted. Not only that, the
camps have been built strategically to be hidden away from the public view amidst pecan nut
farms. From the aerial view footages have been captured which shows that the children were
playing in the scorching desert sun. Photographic evidences have been gathered which show that
the camps are racially segregated, the brown ones for the children of colour and the white ones

2CURRENT AFFAIRS IN TEXAS
for the white skinned ones (Delgado, 2018). This is in nutshell about the scenario that prevails
there.
On this point I would say that the Trump administration is not effectively dealing with
the issue of illegal Mexican immigrants. The administration is actually wasting the public funds
which it could have spent for the betterment of the border communities. Instead the
administration is wasting the money of the tax payers in being cruel to the children by alienating
them from their parents, and also subjecting them to inhumane treatment at the camps. The
administration has expressed desires to close the makeshift shelter tents, but then I am deeply
concerned about the kind of arrangements that shall me made for them as an alternative. If the
administration cannot manage the illegal immigrants, it must strengthen border control and the
ones who have already entered the country must be either repatriated or they must be properly
rehabilitated. With the issue of secrecy being maintained about the location and the access of
journalists into the camps, I feel that the democratic principle of transparency is being eroded. As
the course is related to the current affairs related to the political situation of Texas, this issue is
quite significant and the remedy to it is beneficial to the public interest.

3CURRENT AFFAIRS IN TEXAS
References
Delgado, E. (2018). Texas detention camp swells fivefold with migrant children. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/02/texas-detention-camp-swells-
fivefold-with-migrant-children