The contingent was ignored by the authorities; at least three children have died while in the custody of border authorities
Nearly a hundred nurses from Los Angeles and some religious leaders led first aid and personal hygiene provisions for children and women to the doors of the border patrol detention center in San Ysidro, and demanded that they let them go to care for the detained
"We have a moral responsibility to keep children and adults safe and free from disease while they are being held," the contingent said in the document that was handed over to the head of the Border Patrol in San Diego, Rodney Scoott.
The nurses argued in the document that saying that the government lacks resources or does not know how to protect minors from the flu is an excuse that unnecessarily puts detainees and workers in detention centers at risk.
“All families, regardless of where we come from, deserve to be healthy in the United States,” added the contingent in the document, also addressed to the deputy chief of patrol in the sector, Ross Wilkins.
Following a rally and protest at the entrance to the detention center, the group marched with the Rev. Kathleen Owens of the Universalist Church to the entrance to the facility.
There nurses and religious shouted “CBP (Customs and Border Protection) open, let us in”.
It is unknown how many migrants are detained in that center. At least three Central American migrant minors have died of influenza or influenza while in the custody of the border patrol.
Nurse Rosie Martínez demanded “let us in, let us in; We are nurses, we are willing to enter to provide the care they need. I give them the flu shots they need, we are here, we are health professionals, ”he shouted.
The Reverend Scott addressed a prayer in which he asked “that we be brave, that we follow the example of Jesus, who reminds us that when I was hungry you fed me; when I was in prison, you visited me; when I was sick, you gave me relief. ”
The border patrol refrained from responding with deployments of officers as it has done before previous protests.
The authorities also did not open or let nurses and religious leaders pass.
Most of the nurses wore shirts from the International Union of Service Workers, United Health Workers (SEIU-UHW) of Los Angeles.
