Thread by @lomikriel

For months, lawyers searched for thousands of migrant kids expelled under a US order against COVID. They found three dozen. Kids vanish into a secretive system, not issued a main tracking number for migrants. They’re quickly returned-'no one can find them'
propublica.org/article/her-ra…

Detaining children in clandestine hotels is an 'integral component' of the expulsions, a lawyer noted. It was first reported by the formidable @NomaanMerchant who found + 169 children had been held, some for weeks, in @HiltonHotels. That has grown to +240
apnews.com/c9b671b206060f…

An 8-month-old was held in a Hampton Inn for 12 days before being expelled -without a hearing or access to lawyers-along with a 9-year-old sibling. ‘The government is playing cowboy with regards to children’s safety,’ a former ICE official said.
propublica.org/article/her-ra…

This follows on other great reporting on expulsions, including @ReynaldoLeanos & more who in a very important series looked at the broader program, including how it turns back all adults - many to Mexico City.

https://twitter.com/ReynaldoLeanos/status/1288608313337360387?s=20

texasstandard.org/stories/migran…

If the contractor, MVM, detaining children in hotels sounds familiar, @aurabogado and @reveal reported on the company holding migrant children overnight in office spaces in Phoenix in 2018 even though it was only supposed to be for ‘same-day’ transport
revealnews.org/article/defens…

Of course @dlind broke the story of the memo allowing @CBP agents to almost immediately expel all migrants in one of the most significant about-faces in years of established law.
propublica.org/article/leaked…

It's hard to find out anything about the expulsions. CBP and ICE mostly refused comment, citing @ACLU lawsuits & stopped giving data. Central American countries said they are limited in tracking it - 'We are only reaching a tiny fraction of these kids'
texastribune.org/2020/08/04/bor…