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US held record number of migrant kids in custody in 2019

US held record number of migrant kids in custody in 2019
4 years 11 months 3 weeks ago Monday, November 11 2019 Nov 11, 2019 November 11, 2019 11:08 PM November 11, 2019 in News - AP Texas Headlines

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN, MARTHA MENDOZA AND GARANCE BURKE
Associated Press

COMAYAGUA, Honduras (AP) - The 3-year-old girl traveled for weeks in her father's arms, as he set out to seek asylum in the United States. Now she won't even look at him.

After being forcibly separated at the border by government officials, sexually abused in U.S. foster care and deported, she arrived back in Honduras convinced her once-beloved father abandoned her. He fears their bond is forever broken.

"I think about this trauma staying with her too, because the trauma has remained with me and still hasn't faded," he said, days after their reunion.

This month new government data shows the little girl is one of an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children held in U.S. government custody over the past year, enough infants, toddlers, kids and teens to overflow the typical NFL stadium.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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