There are currently 2,324 mostly Central American boys and girls (13-17 years old) living in canvas tents at Tornillo detention center (LA Times) for migrant teens. More than 1,300 teens have arrived here since the end of October alone. None of the 2,100 staff who work at this Texan tent city have not been properly vetted. Anything could be happening to these teens, in the US in 2018, on our watch. What’s more, the cost of running this detention center is 50% higher than originally estimated and it is thought it will cost the US taxpayer a total of $430 million.

Teens are not almost adults. They are still fragile and vulnerable and the trauma this kind of treatment is inflicting on them is horrendous. For us, this is one more horrific thing that runs across our screens. For them, this is their reality. These are scars that they will carry forever. And then they will be blamed if they are violent or angry or use drugs or don’t adjust well when their captors release them. This is how they will view America, view us.

Being outraged and heartsick is not enough. This is what our tax dollars are supporting. Contact your Congress people and let them know what you think about your tax dollars being used for this.

Find your US House Rep and US Senators and contact them, please.