Confining Immigrant Kids Now a Multi-Million Dollar Industry

According to the Associated Press, detaining immigrant children has turned into a massive billion dollar industry in the United States.

Currently, 11,800 children from infants to 17 are housed in shelters, are in foster care, but where does all the money come from? Health and Human Services grants for detained unaccompanied and separated children have gone from $74.5 million in 2007 to $958 million in 2017.

So far Southwest Key and Baptist Child and Family Services have been the largest recipient of taxpayer dollars weighing in at $72 million. These types of organizations are actually government contractors for the Health and Human Services Department.  

Of course, there are two sides to this story and each side is blaming the other. Dr. Colleen Kraft, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is vehemently against placing immigrant children in government-subsidized shelters. Here's what she said:

The foundational relationship between a parent and a child is what sets the stage for that child's brain development, for their learning, for their child's health, and for their adult health.

On the other side of the argument is President Trump who says cracking down on immigration ultimately can lead to spending less money and having fewer immigrants in government custody. What do you think? Do both sides have valid points?