Heartland To Close Four Shelters For Immigrant Youth

By Daniel Tucker
Heartland shelters closing
In this July 2018, file photo, three-year-old Jose Jr., from Honduras, is helped by representative of the Southern Poverty Law Center as he is reunited with his father in Phoenix. The government’s separation of families at the border, a consequence of a zero-tolerance policy that President Donald Trump’s administration officially began in spring, drew worldwide outrage. Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press
Heartland shelters closing
In this July 2018, file photo, three-year-old Jose Jr., from Honduras, is helped by representative of the Southern Poverty Law Center as he is reunited with his father in Phoenix. The government’s separation of families at the border, a consequence of a zero-tolerance policy that President Donald Trump’s administration officially began in spring, drew worldwide outrage. Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press

Heartland To Close Four Shelters For Immigrant Youth

By Daniel Tucker
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Last year, more than 2,700 children were separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy. Those children were sent to shelters across the United States. Ninety-nine of those children were sent to Heartland Human Care Services shelters in Illinois.

The children placed in Heartland’s four Des Plaines shelters said they were mistreated by staff. That eventually led to protests and a federal investigation into the facilities.

ProPublica Illinois covered this story extensively and are now reporting that Heartland is closing four shelters and making changes at its other five shelters.

Joining the Morning Shift is ProPublica Illinois reporter Melissa Sanchez.

LEARN MORE: After Controversy, Heartland to Close Four Illinois Shelters for Immigrant Youth (ProPublica Illinois 3/13/19)