A court of appeals rejected Thursday a US government appeal on the conditions of reception of migrant children in detention centers, saying that adequate food, soap and toothpaste were indeed part of the conditions of "security and safety". 'hygiene' that the law must guarantee them.
"Essential to the safety of these children"
In their pleadings on appeal, the Ministries of the Interior and Justice considered that this "safety and hygiene" obligation, provided for by a 1997 law, did not necessarily cover the sleeping conditions of minors in detention. or the supply of hygiene products, because the text does not mention them explicitly. "We are in deep disagreement," said the three judges of the San Francisco Court of Appeal.
"Ensuring that children have enough edible food, drink clean water, stay in clean facilities with toilets, have soap and toothpaste, and are not deprived of sleep is without a doubt possible for the safety of these children, "they write.
Conditions deemed inhuman
Inspections at various border police detention centers have repeatedly found inhumane conditions, with overcrowded cells and inmates sleeping on the floor under blankets, toilets without doors and soap , very low temperatures, etc.
In June, the NGO Human Rights Watch met unaccompanied children in Texas who had "no regular access to showers or clean clothes". Some had not washed "for weeks" and were infested with lice.