News 8 AustinYour News NowYour News NowAn Exclusive Service of Time Warner Cable
News 8 Austin


TOP STORIES


HEADLINES


FORT HOOD SHOOTING


LOCAL NEWS


Central Texas


Hays County


• San Marcos


Bastrop County


Bell County


Caldwell County


McLennan County


Willliamson County


YOUR NEWS


WEATHER


SPORTS


HS FOOTBALL


LIVING


NEWS 8 EXPLORES


SPECIAL COVERAGE


COMMUNITY


COMMENTARY


ABOUT US


SEARCH


NEWS8CAST VIDEO




Join us on Sunday, December 13 for the Jinglebell 5k, benefiting MADD.



Contact News 8 through the IVC.

LOCAL NEWS
FridayNovember202009



x60
Treatment of immigrant children inconsistent
3/31/2007 5:33 PM
By: Chelsea Hover

The T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center has been the target of a lot of criticism in recent months. The facility houses families who've entered the country illegally.

 
More than half of the 400 immigrants there are children. And now, it's at the heart of a major civil lawsuit alleging widespread abuse and housing adults and young children in jail-like conditions.

But the rules and treatment aren't even across the board. At the Bokenkamp Children's Shelter in Corpus Christi, immigrant minors are protected by social services that those at Hutto are not.

"I came to have a better life here. In America we can be somebody, and I can be with my family," 15-year-old Jorge said in Spanish.

Jorge is separated from his family while living at the Bokenkamp Children's Shelter. Bokenkamp houses some 60 other undocumented children who each made their own journey from their homeland.

"This is a beautiful place, they treat us well," 17-year-old Brenda said in Spanish.

But Jorge and Brenda's story is not just about their journey as illegal immigrants, but finding their place in the American system.

 WATCH THE VIDEO
More Information
Detention centers

Immigration advocates say the Bokencamp facility in Corpus Christi is ideal compared to T. Don Hutto in Taylor.



At Bokenkamp, the kids without family are cared for as foster children.

"All the kids that come to our program deserve all the human dignity that all of us have," Hector Acevedo, the Director of Bokenkamp, said.

"None of us here could imagine that there was a place like this," Brenda said in Spanish. "There's not another country that does things like this for young people."

This assessment stands in stark contrast to conditions in the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center where families are being held in a former prison, and according to some, they're being treated like criminals.

"There is simply no justification for imprisoning innocent children who pose no threat to anyone," ALCU spokesperson Vanita Gupta said.

In 10 lawsuits, the ACLU claims the T. Don Hutto Family Residential Center in Taylor violated virtually every aspect of a settlement meant to protect immigrant minors.

"It's appalling, it's not the way we should be treating people," Acevedo said.

At Bokenkamp teens enjoy those freedoms and more.

"This is a good place and you can learn a lot. You can go to school, we have parties, go on outings, go to the beach," 16-year-old Alvaro said in Spanish.

In the dorm rooms in Bokenkamp, the walls are covered with colorful drawings and certificates they earn in class. Plus they sleep on comfortable beds with any bedding they choose.

In Taylor, children sleep on the metal prison cots and are monitored by lasers. Plus, those kids are forced to wear uniforms, endure head counts three times a day, and reportedly go weeks without playing in the sun.

"There's lots of kids in there suffering, lots of kids and their mothers. You only see tears in there, no happiness," Denia, a former Hutto detainee said.

But at Bokenkamp, residents enjoy free time to play, have a say in the food that's served, and have a full 8-hour class schedule. The students are grateful to gain these skills for the future.

"Here we have a lot more than we did before," Alvaro said.

The only reason these kids have rights that those in Hutto do not is because they're protected as unaccompanied minors.

So while some immigrant children are being prepared for their future, others are the victims of alleged abuse. The government said they're working on closing the gap on the inconsistencies.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they're still learning how to best care for families.

They said they're consulting with advocacy organizations to draft standards for family care.

More Information
Related Stories
More Information

3/7/07Freed mother talks about life at T. Don Hutto
2/22/07Advocacy groups want to shut down immigrant detention center
2/13/07Hutto Family Detention Center draws protestors
2/10/07Authorities offer tour of immigrant detention center



Email this Story to a Friend
Printer Friendly Version
Search LOCAL NEWS

Weather Center
overnight
11/21/2009
Mid 50s
morning
11/21/2009
Near 50
daytime
11/21/2009
Mid 60s

Troubled Waters
News 8's Jenna Hiller explored the troubled waters in Central Texas and traveled down the Colorado River in search of information. Click on the links to watch, read and interact.

Part 1: Regional cooperation drying out
Part 2: Texas rice farmer takes on water wars
Part 3: Security of supply saturates perception
Part 4: Bad news travels near and far
Part 5: Bad news travels near and far

Where does your water come from?
Get $300 your bath remodel

For News 8's continuing coverage of the Fort Hood mass shootings visit our Fort Hood Shooting section, watch video from reporters in the field and press conferences with officials, and view our photo galleries: The Day Of The Shootings | The Memorial | The Victims
Online Poll

The City of Austin plans to have the Nueces Bike Boulevard opened by late spring. The boulevard would be a multi-use path where car traffic is discouraged. How do you feel about this?
I think this is a great idea, we need more roads like this
I think it needs more public input
I don’t think this is a good idea
Other-Your comments

VoteView Results
Neighborhood Calendar
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Oct NOVEMBER 2009 Dec
S M T W Th F S
Week Of 11/1/2009-11/7/2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week Of 11/8/2009-11/14/2009 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week Of 11/15/2009-11/21/2009 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Week Of 11/22/2009-11/28/2009 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Week Of 11/29/2009-12/5/2009 29 30





Baby Products





Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Information | Site Map | Click for RSS information
Copyright ©2009TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

Web production by Tipit


Digital Cable offers the latest in home-viewing entertainment.
Talk as long as you want to anyone in Texas and the United States for one low monthly price.
Time Warner Cable now offers you more choices in High Speed Internet service.
Time Warner Digital Cable offers a wide variety of commercial products designed to accelerate the gr
Video On Demand lets you instantly choose from a wide selection of great movies and award- winning p
Digital Cable channel lineups.
Time Warner Cable of Austin offers 15 HDTV channels on digital cable.
TV listings for your service area.
Take a look at the special offers and promotions available now through Time Warner Cable Austin.
Record two shows at once. Plus fast-forward, rewind, and even pause LIVE TV to get a snack, answer t

On the go? Follow us on Twitter and we'll keep you current.

Connect with your Austin local businesses now.Sponsored Links

The premier collision shop that paints cars.