Central Florida off list for child migrant detention centre

ORLANDO, Fla. – A U.S. congresswoman who represents central Florida says the region is no longer being considered for a permanent shelter for unaccompanied minors who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.

Democratic Rep. Val Demings announced Friday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services had told her about the decision.

Federal officials had previously been scouting sites in central Florida, Virginia and Los Angeles for future facilities. They say the permanent sites will minimize the need for unlicensed temporary detention centres.

Demings tweeted that she’s glad central Florida won’t be part of what she called President Donald Trump’s “inhumane child detention policy.”

While Florida is off the list, Demings says the search has moved on to Texas and Arizona.