Federal officials say a Florida detention camp that has housed thousands of migrant children is emptying out.
Health and Human Services Department spokeswoman Evelyn Stauffer said in an email Saturday that all children are either with family members or at smaller state-licensed facilities. The camp has housed about 14,300 undocumented children since March 2018.
Last month, HHS expedited the process for sending child migrants to live with relatives already in the U.S. by eliminating a fingerprinting requirement for adult siblings and grandparents. It also stopped universally requiring child abuse and neglect checks unless there are special concerns.
The Homestead facility, which will remain capable of housing migrant children, has been a frequent subject of protests and visits by members of Congress opposed to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
