Texas officials are investigating allegations of child sex abuse and neglect at San Antonio’s Freeman Expo Center, where thousands of migrant children who crossed the border are being held.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made the alarming announcement at the center Wednesday night, according to News 4 SA.
The Republican said there are four complaints being investigated: child sex abuse, understaffing, unfed children and a failure to separate kids with COVID-19 from healthy children, the report said.
“Earlier today the Texas Health and Human Services commission and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, separately received tips that alleged child abuse and neglect at the San Antonio migrant facility,” Abbott reportedly said. “These products are a biproduct of President Biden’s policies.
“In short, this facility is a health and safety nightmare,” Abbott said, according to the NBC affiliate.
Abbott reportedly called on the president to shut down the facility, and move children to safer ones.
“While we wait on the Biden administration to act, I’m directing DPS and Texas Rangers to immediately begin investigating these allegations,” Abbott said.
The governor said the allegations of sex abuse were “very credible,” but did not know how many children may have been abused, the article stated.
The US has been scrambling to find bed space for the hundreds of unaccompanied minors arriving through Mexico every day, as asylum-seeking immigrant children have poured over the border in record numbers.