A facility in New York that housed migrant children faces allegations of physical abuse, including placing some children in isolation in a so-called “red room,” according to multiple sources who spoke with CNN about what’s unfolded at the shelter.
The accounts from federal sources and child welfare experts describe a heavy-handed approach to punishment for potential behavioral issues in recent years, prompting an internal review by the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is charged with the care of migrant children, according to two of the sources.
The shelter, called the Children’s Village, has multiple locations across New York serving kids, including US citizens, though the abuse allegations stem from their treatment of migrant children at the Dobbs Ferry location. The Children’s Village has served unaccompanied migrant children since 2004.
Children were allegedly beaten by a “special” unit, akin to a security team, including at times, out of the view of cameras. They were also allegedly held in restraints for several minutes, beyond protocol in place to ensure safety. Children were also involuntarily taken to a room as punishment, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The federal government has long funded shelters, like the Children’s Village to care for migrant children who crossed the US-Mexico border alone — or more recently, been swept up in an interior immigration enforcement operation — until they can be reunited with a US-based sponsor, like a parent.
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