US Senators denied access to migrant shelter in Tornillo

Several groups have been visiting the Tornillo port of entry since the controversy surrounding the treatment of family immigrants at the border started making national headlines.

Friday, students studying border issues were invited by three U.S. senators to visit the migrant facility at the port of entry. The lawmakers intended to go inside the facility, but were denied access.

Carlos Espina, a student at Vassar college in New York, participated in last week’s demonstration at the facility protesting the separation of immigrant families at the border.

“What happens here affects the rest of the country. So I wanted to come and see it first hand and really get more involved and just see everything that’s going on,” said Espina.

This week, President Donald Trump made an about face on the policy dividing families, signing an executive order to keep them together.

The students and senators wanted to kow what would happen next? They also wanted to see how the teenagers held inside the facility were being treated.

That is why they welcomed an invitation from U.S. Senators Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich and Richard Blumenthal.

They did not learn much.

“We were not given access to an actual walkthrough of the tents and other facilities,” said Blumenthal.

Instead, workers inside the facility showed senators a video of the facilities.

Blumenthal say, as a member of the judiciary committee, he has been given access to other facilities across the country, and even given the opportunity to talk to speak with immigrants.

The Democrat told ABC-7 taxpayers are paying around $2,000 per teenager held inside the tent city.