Hundreds of undocumented, unaccompanied minors call remote Doa Ana shelter home

In the middle of nowhere, in the desert of chaparral within Fort Bliss is a facility.

The facility is meant to shelter unaccompanied children that come across the border illegally.

Media outlets were not allowed to film on the premises or film interviews. The office of refugee resettlement sent ABC-7 the images you see in the video. They say it’s for the safety of the children.

Officials with the ORR say in 2014 they received 58,000 undocumented unaccompanied minors throughout the United States. In 2015 the numbers dropped to 34,000. Through the end of July 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services has received 47,000 referrals this year.

The shelter was set up in early September. It houses about 470 children but can hold up to 1,800 — both boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 17.

The facilities are run by BCFS Health and Human Services. The organization is a not-for-profit that provides medical sheltering and emergency management.

Officials said most of the employees in the facility have worked in wildfires, earthquakes and floods.

The children that mostly come from Guatamala, Honduras and El Salvador receive two snacks and three meals a day. The food follows the same nutritional standards as Texas schools. In the dining room they also have movie nights and karaoke.

The dorms hold 26 beds where the children make it their home with decorations.

They have 30 restrooms and 22 showers that are all used in rotation. The ORR has added makeshift fields for sports and activities. The children are also schooled in English as a second language -social studies, math and science by often retired teachers from the region.

The facilities also provide the children with medical care, a chapel and case workers.