Say it loud

By Jennifer Jimenez

The conditions for detainees at the Mexico- United States border are inhumane. Inspectors found that detainees were not provided showers or a change of clothes and children were not given hot meals which violates standards. Not only are these conditions horrible but these detainees have to survive in this environment for a long period of time.

Recently, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York freshman congresswoman, visited the United States- Mexico border and used Twitter to expose the environment in which immigrants were placed in. On Twitter, Cortez stated, “According to concentration camp experts, people begin to die due to overcrowding, neglect, and shortage of resources. We saw all three of those signs on our trip yesterday. Another person died yesterday.”

People like Cortez are important in the fight against these horrible conditions because of her platform.

It has become evident that some of the border patrol officers are not fit for their job. Recently it was discovered that the border patrol officers had a private Facebook page where they shared sexist and racist posts. This action of having a private Facebook demonstrated that these officers are not empathetic, which is probably why the detainees are being treated in such a negative way.

Call it what you want. A detention camp is still equivalent to a concentration camp. This problem should have never occurred. Children do not belong in cages. Now, it is up to the good people of our community to take action. Something as small as telling other people of the problem can help tremendously.