Spanberger statement on reported conditions at Border Patrol facilities

Rep. Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after reports of poor conditions at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities near the southern border.

“As a current U.S. public official, former federal law enforcement agent, and parent, I am appalled at recent reports coming from our southern border. The cruel conditions at the CBP facility described in the press are beneath the dignity of our great nation and will only serve to exacerbate the intense trauma among detained children and their families—and I’m particularly horrified by the descriptions of unsanitary conditions, untreated illnesses, and overcrowding.

“The mistreatment of children is not an American value—and to witness it under the guise of national security priorities is particularly offensive. While there is no question that we can do more to strengthen the security of our borders and ports of entry, treating children with this level of neglect and inhumanity runs counter to who we are as a country.

“Congress must take immediate action to provide support that addresses the influx of those legally seeking asylum, as well as those currently detained at CBP facilities. This process must begin by pursuing legislation that would improve conditions for children, while also giving clarity of purpose, purview, and requirements to our Border Patrol agents. I will continue to push the U.S. House to vote on a package to directly address and prevent these dire conditions and to fund the necessary resources to improve conditions at detention facilities—but we must simultaneously work to pass an immigration and security bill that will address the root causes of this crisis, ensure our national security, and uphold our values.”