Help Wanted: Migrant Housing

摘要

Sparked by President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy and stepped-up border arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), multiple government agencies are addressing an immediate and indefinite demand for new U.S. detention facilities. In addition to assessing existing government space, agencies are contacting private contractors concerning building and operating facilities, which could result in billions of dollars in new spending.Last week, Congressional lawmakers signaled a push to increase federal funding for illegal immigrant detention center construction and operation. House Republicans drafted a compromise bill, H.R. 6136, which would allocate $6.78 billion to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for construction and operation of family detention centers along the southern border, as well as other facilities and technology. Need for the space became evident amid concern about separation of families at border sites, including a tent camp recently constructed in Tornillo, Texas, to house migrant children.