First LULAC Midwest Region Digital Billboard Calling To Stop The Separation Of Families Goes Up In Milwaukee

One of several digital billboards calling to stop the separating of families unveiled in the Milwaukee area.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 5, 2018

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, a digital billboard was unveiled by the LULAC Midwest Region, which was paid by the Committee to elect Darryl Morin who is a candidate for National LULAC President. The billboard is one of two being paid by the Committee to elect Morin. Eileen Figueroa, the Wisconsin State LULAC Director told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) that the billboard, "...is a Midwest effort paid for the committee to Elect Darryl Morin. It is very much like how other campaigns are sponsoring trips to Detention facilities for LULAC and LULAC Texas."

A 9-year-old Cesar Acosta, an Honduran refugee boy spoke at the unveiling billboard event, he said that he was forced to sleep on the floor with a piece of plastic carton, was placed in kennel cages used for dogs along with other kids, was treated bad by border agents, was given a small sandwich and little to drink, experienced cold central air conditioned temperatures at a holding center known as the refrigerators and lights were always on, which he couldn't sleep. His mother who is pending an asylum status says that she fled her country due to death threats and her bother in-law being killed by gangs. She entered the U.S. on October 2017 and was separated from her son for two months and a 3-year-old daughter, but she was allowed to see her daughter in short periods. She described border process agents as cold and with no heart as they forced separation of families and witnessed mothers, crying and begging agents not to take their kids, but with no success to keep their sons and daughters with them. She is now residing in Waukegan, Illinois pending her immigration case.

Also LULAC Wisconsin Deputy State Director for Elderly Yolanda Santos Adams made remarks on behalf of grandparents regarding Donald Trump's Zero Tolerance policy. Santos Adams says, separating families is not just, not Christian like and opposes Trump's Zero Tolerance policy.
The billboads will stay up until Trump stops separating families and kids are reunified with their undocumented parents, according to Morin, who also spoke at the billboard event.

LULAC councils in Wisconsin will hold their State Convention on Saturday at the Mexican Fiesta Offices after it was decided on May 18, by Manuel G. Escobar Jr., the LULAC National Legal Advisor that the prior State Convention held at UMOS was not legal due to improper notification.

ATF Agent Rick Hankins Alleged Van L. Mayes Conspired To Firebomb Milwaukee Police 7th District Station After Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown Murdered Unarmed Sylville Smith In 2016

Mayes charged with three federal felonies by ATF and feds in connection with an attempt and conspiracy to firebomb the Milwaukee police station on District 7.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 2, 2018

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Milwaukee announced that Van L. Mayes, 31, also known as Vaun L. Mayes, an activist in the African-American community had been taken into custody and charged with three federal felonies that included, attempted arsons, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a destructive device in relation to a crime of violence. Matthew D. Krueger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin says that the complaint alleged that Mayes and others planned to firebomb the Milwaukee Police Department's District Seven Police Station during the Sherman Park rioting in August 2016.  According to the complaint, Mayes and others pursued the plan by manufacturing Molotov cocktails in glass bottles labeled Mike's Hard Lemonade, Everfresh Juice, Mistic Juice, and Seagram's Escape Wine Coolers that contained gasoline with a fabric wick inserted into the opening. The firebombing of the District Station ultimately did not occur. More arrests expected in the Mayes case, according to the ATF's ongoing investigation.

Special Agent Rick Hankins with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in a federal affidavit to establish probable cause for an arrest warrant and criminal complaint filed on June 27, 2018 states, that at least four informants (witnesses) connected Mayes to a cardboard box full of Molotov cocktails (a glass container or bottle that holds flammable liquid, often gasoline with an inserted wick to start fires) found on August 23, 2016 inside a dumpster on N. Sherman Blvd. near the Sherman Park riots in 2016. The riots ignited after Milwaukee Police Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown shot and murdered unarmed Sylville Smith after a traffic stop, when Smith who had a conceal carry permit ran and tossed a handgun over a fence when then Officer Heaggan-Brown shot him and as Smith fell from the impact of the first shot and was unarmed, Heaggan-Brown fatally shot him again and killed Smith. Smith did have a weapon on him when he was shot a second time. Heaggan-Brown was later found not guilty for Smith's homicide. Officer Heaggan-Brown was later fired from the Milwaukee Police Department and charged and convicted of a second criminal incident for raping a man and forcing him to engage in sex acts. 

On August 13 and 14, 2016, Milwaukee experienced widespread arson, rioting, and looting in the area surrounding Sherman Park near where Heaggan-Brown killed Smith at N. 44th St. and W. Auer Ave.

ATF Special Agent Hankins claims, that Mayes committed crimes dating August 15, 2016 that resulted in federal charges. Hankins alleged that Mayes targeted the Milwaukee Police 7th District Station located at 3626 W. Fond du Lac Ave. and conspired with others to firebomb the station, but Mayes and others never actually went through with it after too many people knew of the intent.

On August 29, 2016, ATF agents executed a search warrant at Mayes residence and agents found Seagram's Escape Wine Cooler and Everfresh Juice bottles, which the bottles were the same brand labeled bottles found in a box full of Molotov cocktails on August 23, 2016. Another search warrant executed at an apartment near where the box of cocktails were found in a dumpster, ATF agents found a ripped dark color fabric similar to the type of wick used in the Molotov cocktails and also recovered bottles similar to the cocktails including empty gas cans.

On September 20, 2016, ATF agents informed Mayes that bottles that came from his residence may have been used to manufacture Molotov cocktails, Mayes told agents at the time that the bottles came from his residence so, his DNA would be on them. Mayes confirmed that he drank from Everfresh Juice and Seagram's Escape bottles, according to the federal criminal complaint.

Agent Hankins in the complaint stated that informants/witnesses claimed Mayes and others were involved, according to witness number 1, on August 15, Mayes, C.E., C.M., B.H. and others met by the burned down BP Gas Station in Sherman Park and discussed firebombing the police station at the 3600 block of W. Fond du Lac Ave. and Mayes had brought gas cans and glass bottles to an apartment where they met. Mayes, C.M., and M.W. began to manufacture the Molotov cocktails. A black coat was ripped to use as wicks for the cocktails, according to witness number 1.

On February 2017, a second witness told ATF agents that he was there when Mayes and others manufactured the Molotov cocktails in August 2016. A third witness also told ATF agents that he discussed the Sherman Park riot fires and that he was told by B.H. that police had found a box full of Molotov cocktails and gas cans in a dumpster.

In November 2016, a fourth witness told ATF agents, that after the shooting of Sylville Smith on August 13, that he heard Mayes say, that Sylville Smith needs justice and Mayes including about twenty other adults and teenagers had met at an apartment to plan the firebombing assault on the police station. Mayes at the apartment was sitting next to a black fabric bag filled with rocks to be used to throw at police to create a diversion while others would throw Molotov cocktails at the police station. Mayes was wearing gloves and filling the bottles with gasoline, dipping ripped shirts into a bowl of gasoline, and placing the soaked fabric into the tops of the bottles. The witness also said that he and others drove by the targeted police station and saw police on top of the roof and they went back to tell the group that there was a large police presence and they decided to cancel the attack that night.

ATF agents got a warrant and recovered cellphone videos where Mayes was heard saying, "Where the rocks at?, Who got the rocks? and Fuck you all! Punk ass cops. Getting they ass rocked!" In a second video, Mayes was wearing a mask and was heard saying, "They killing their ass with these motherfucking rocks. Rocking their shit. Shit going down."

In a Facebook video, ATF agents found a video where Mayes was walking by the police station saying, the "worst police departments, District Seven."

ATF agent Hankins, says that a Molotov cocktail is a destructive device and a firearm, which Mayes is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has a state felony conviction for driving/operating a vehicle without consent.

Editors note: The questions being raised in Milwaukee after Mayes arrest are; was he set-up by local law enforcement and feds to take the fall for the rioting at Sherman Park in 2016, and why would Mayes use bottles from juices and wine coolers that he drank from that would easily be traced back to him, and why was a box full of Molotov cocktails left inside a dumpster ten days after the riots began in hot weather that would possibly ignite in the heat and how did law enforcement locate the box in the dumpster? Sounds like a set-up and conspiracy by the ATF and local law enforcement to charge an outspoken community activist for a crime. Empty bottles discarded by Mayes could be easily recovered from his residence recycling trash can and trash with his DNA on them.
Unless, Mayes can admit and confess that he planned and made Molotov cocktails to burn the police station, he might have been a victim of a set-up by the feds.
Informants involved are known to fabricate stories in cases so, they don't get charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.

Milwaukee Police Removed Barricades Opening Traffic Flow While Crowds Spilled Into The Street At Sunday's Families Belong Together Rally And Protest

Civilians put up barricades during downtown rally and protest to stop traffic flow from getting through after the crowds spilled into the street, but police immediately removed the barricades to allow traffic through while crowds blocked the street.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 30, 2018

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Sunday, after the crowds spilled into the street during the Keeping Families Together rally and protest against Trump's Zero Tolerance policy and the Muslim ban, Milwaukee police removed barricades that were put up by civilians to stop the traffic flow as a safety measure. A rally organizer had told those attending to stay off the street, since they had no permit to block the street. But as more people arrived at the downtown rally, the crowds spilled in to the street blocking traffic.

Milwaukee Police Lt. Harris when asked why the barricades were removed and no officer was designated to direct or divert traffic while the crowds spilled into the street? Lt. Harris said, that pedestrians were not allowed to put up barricades without a permit and they were taken down by him and other officers at the scene. When asked why wasn't discretion used to place an officer to divert traffic as a safety measure?, he responded that the event organizers had no permit to block the street.

People would think that as a safety measure, a police officer would be designated to divert traffic, but Lt. Harris response was "It's always our obligation to protect the public, did anybody get run over, anybody get hurt?"
An organizer for the event confirmed that they had applied for a permit about a week ago to block the street, but the City requested a month in advance notice of filing an application even though a permit was granted to hold the event on the sidewalks on both sides of the street.

In N. Dakota, GOP legislators passed a bill that allowed for drivers to go through crowds without stopping when traffic flow is blocked during rallies and protests.

Young People's Resistance Committee Marched In Milwaukee's Southside Against Trump's Zero Tolerance Policy

More than 100 students from various universities and colleges including allies rallied and marched against Trump's Zero Tolerance policy in Milwaukee's Southside.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 29, 2018

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, more than 100 students from various universities and colleges including allies gathered for a rally and impromptu march at Walker's Square Park in Milwaukee's Southside against Trump's Zero Tolerance policy that separates children from undocumented parents seeking asylum in the U.S. The protesters after several testimonials were provided by speakers, they decided to march on the street along W. Mineral St. to S. 11 St. heading north then turned west on W. National Ave. to S. César E. Chavez Dr. heading south to W. Greenfield Ave. then heading east on Greenfield to S. 10th St. and then they turn north on S. 10th to Walker's Square Park without any police escort. It was a peaceful march and no arrests were made.

The event was sponsored by Young People's Resistance Committee (YPRC) and allies. The protesters were also chanting during the march and demanding for Anselmo Villarreal, the Vice-chair of Southwest Key Projects (SWP or SWK) to resign from the Board of Directors. Villarreal, the current CEO from La Casa de Esperanza in Waukesha confirmed last Sunday to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) that he will not resigned. Villarreal stated, "SWK doesn't support the separation of families at the border, SWK and other communities providers in this service area are the alternative to the cages you have seen in the media .

"The kids that we serve and their well-being are our main priority. Our goal is to reunite children with a parent or sponsor, but until then we provide food, clothing, licensed medical care, counseling, education and most importantly a safe and loving environment.
"We don't make policy and we don't run detention centers "WE CARE FOR CHILDREN."
"For 30 years we have been committed to our values and mission, regardless of policy so kids in need are taking care of and reunited with their families. I am honor to serve in the Board of SWK, so I AM NOT RESIGNING."

YPRC who was the formerly YES group affiliated with Voces de Frontera says that the Trump Administration has been running a terror campaign against immigrants in the United States. Most recently this has meant the separation of children from their families at the border. YPRC held the rally and march on Thursday to demand the following:

1. An end to the Trump Administration's zero-tolerance policy on the imprisonment of immigrants.

2. The right of families to remain united throughout the entire process of petitioning for asylum.

3. For Anselmo Villarreal to step down from his current position as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Key Program (SKP) and publicly denounce the separation of children from their families under the current administration's policy.

Immigrant Rights Activists Chanted "Donald Trump Got To Go" And "Where Are The Children" During A Protest In Milwaukee

Hundreds of Latinos and allies gathered in downtown Milwaukee and marched to the Pfister Hotel to protest Trump's Zero Tolerance policy where he was attending Wisconsin Governor Walker's fundraiser.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 28, 2018

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, hundreds of Latinos and allies gathered at Zeidler Union Square, 300 W. Michigan Street and marched to the Pfister Hotel where President Donald Trump was attending a fundraiser for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) who is running for re-election. The protesters chanted, Where are the Children, Donald Trump got to go, El Pueblo unido jamás será vencido and Abolish ICE were some of the many chants used by those marching along West and East Wisconsin Ave.

Once they reached N. Milwaukee St. and E. Wisconsin Ave., a group of protesters including Christine Nuemann-Ortiz, the Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera and Brian Verdin, a former teacher from the Milwaukee Public Schools District staged a sit-in. After the sit-in, the protesters marched to the 794 freeway exit at N. Milwaukee Street and E. Clybourn Street and blocked the exit ramp and street by staging a sit-in. Milwaukee police arrived, but no arrests were made. The protesters ended their march and protest after giving testimonials and requesting for Trump to end his Zero Tolerance policy and immediate reunification of families that had been separated under his inhumane policy.

So far under Trump's Zero Tolerance policy more than 3,700 children have been separated from their undocumented parents.

On Tuesday, Southern California U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw granted a temporary injunction in favor of the ACLU and the judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately reunify children under the age of 5 with their undocumented parents within 2 weeks and gave 30 days for children from age 5 and older to be reunify with their parents.

The march and sit-in on Thursday was organized by Voces de la Frontera  and allies.

Online Petition From Young People's Resistance Committee Want Waukesha's Casa de Esperanza CEO Anselmo Villarreal To Resign From Southwest Key Programs Board

Villarreal has been a Board member at Southwest Key Programs since 2012.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 24, 2018

Milwaukee, WI - An online petition posted on Wednesday in Mijente dot net is requesting for Anselmo Villarreal, the CEO of La Casa de Esperanza in Waukesha to resign as Vice-chair of the Board at Southwest Key Programs. The petiton was posted by Jeanette Martin from Young People's Resistance Committee (YPRC), a student group at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The YPRC was formerly the YES youth group originated from Voces de la Frontera (VDLF), which is controlled by White liberals on the Board.

The petition reads, Anselmo Villarreal must step down from his current position as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Key Program (SKP or SWK) and publicly denounce the violent separation and criminalization of immigrant children and their families under the current administration's policy. 

The Young People's Resistance Committee discovered that Anselmo Villarreal, CEO of La Casa de Esperanza, one of Wisconsin's most important Latino community organizations, sits on the Board of Directors of the Southwest Key Program, the non-profit running child internment camps on the U.S.-Mexico border. La Casa de Esperanza is an important resource hub for the Waukesha Latino and immigrant community. We find it disturbing that Mr. Villareal would associate himself in any way with an organization that is complicit in the inhumane act of separating children from their families.

Several organizations, including the American Psychological Association, the American College of Physicians, and the American Public Health Association have denounced this policy. Mr. Villareal, there is no humane way of separating children from their families. Southwest Key Programs is complicit in this violation of rights; we urge you to step down from its board and renew your commitment to the humane treatment of immigrants everywhere, according to the petition. It has a limit of 100 people to sign the petition.

Villarreal, on Sunday released the following statement to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) concerning the petition posted online by YPRC requesting for him to resign from SKP or SWK. Villarreal stated, "SWK doesn’t support the separation of families at the border, SWK and other communities providers in this service area are the alternative to the cages you have seen in the media .
"The kids that we serve and their well-being are our main priority. Our goal is to reunite children with a parent or sponsor, but until then we provide food, clothing, licensed medical care, counseling, education and most importantly a safe and loving environment.
"We don’t make policy and we don’t run detention centers “WE CARE FOR CHILDREN.”
"For 30 years we have been committed to our values and mission, regardless of policy so kids in need are taking care of and reunited with their families. I am honor to serve in the Board of SWK, so I AM NOT RESIGNING."

Apparently Southwest Key Programs has taken down its website and replaced it with a temporary website, which actually has very limited information and doesn't not identify its Board. Villarreal has been on the SKP Board since 2012.

SKP has a $458M an annual contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Office of Refugee Resettlement  to hold undocumented children in 2018 and has made $1.5B in the last 10 years under government contracts. 

The separating of children from undocumented parents by the border patrol is turning into a profit operation (who's profiting by separating or keeping families together detained indefinitely) for a non-profit that operates a dozen facilities housing undocumented children. After the children are processed at border patrol centers including in McAllen, they are transported to detention facilities operated by the non-profit organization Southwest Key Programs Inc., which will be paid more than $458M in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to TIME. The TIME reported that, "The nonprofit, Southwest Key Programs Inc., is to be paid more than $458 million in fiscal 2018, according to the data — the most among the organizations, government agencies and companies that run a detention and care system for immigrant children on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services. Southwest Key has about a dozen facilities in Texas, including a site at a former WalMart Inc. store in Brownsville that has drawn attention from members of Congress and national news organizations."
ABCNEWS reported that it cost about $700 to house a child per day in a facility run by Southwest Key.
Dr. Juan Jose Sanchez, the President and CEO of Southwest Key made $1.47M in salary in 2017 (IRS info), doubling his salary from 2016. Southwest Key operates 83 detention centers/shelters/schools around the country and his wife Jennifer Nelson listed as Vice-president in the latest tax filing made $260,000. In the last ten years, Southwest Key has been paid $1.5B under government contracts, CNN reported.

To deport an undocumented immigrant, it costs an estimated $13K each. According to a 2015 report by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Private Prison Corporations (PPC's) earned $3B for holding ICE detainees. An estimated 34,000 of undocumented immigrants are incarcerated daily costing between $159 to $200 each to hold in a private prison.
States do pay for most of the costs to hold undocumented detainees from their jurisdictions and the federal government reimburse the states about half.
A national day of action against separating children is planned for June 30 around the country, according to organizers.

The Southwest Key Programs Board of Directors

• Orlando Martinez - Board Chair from Atlanta, Georgia. Member since 2007

• Anselmo Villarreal - Board Vice-chair from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Member since 2012

• Rosa Santis - Board Treasurer from East Austin, Texas. Member since 2011

• Elizabeth V. Villegas, CLTC - Board Secretary from Austin, Texas. Member since 2011

• Victor Garza - Immediate Past Board Chair from Fresno, California. Member since 2004

• David Marshall Jr. - Board Member from Washington, D.C. Member since 2014

SKP released the following statement.

Official Statement from Southwest Key Programs on the Separation of Families:

Southwest Key Programs does not support separating families at the border. For 30 years, our work in offering youth justice alternatives, immigrant children's shelters, and education has served to improve the lives of thousands of young people. We believe keeping families together is better for the children, parents and our communities, and we remain committed to providing compassionate care and reunification. For every child who has come through our shelter doors, we start on day one to reunite them with their parents or a family sponsor and to provide the kind of service that will help them thrive. This has been our priority for decades.

LULAC Members And Allies Block Bus Transporting Undocumented Children From the Ursula U.S. Border Patrol Processing Center In McAllen

Dozens of LULAC members and allies blocked a bus transporting undocumented children in McAllen during a protest to free the children.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 23, 2018

McAllen, Texas - On Saturday, dozens of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) members and allies held a protest at the Ursula U.S. Border Patrol Processing Center at the 3700 block of W. Ursula Ave. in McAllen. Domingo Garcia, a candidate for National LULAC President and a civil rights attorney was one among dozens of protesters who blocked a border patrol transport bus from driving through the area where the protest was held. Garcia was among others who sat on the street until the bus backed up and went in the opposite direction. McAllen police and border patrol agents escorted the bus out in a different direction. The bus is operated by TrailBoss Ent Inc., which was transporting children as young as five and women and men.

Those at the protest yelled "Free the Children", "Aqui estamos y no nos Vamos" and other chants during Saturday's protest.

LULAC members from throughout Texas and other parts of the country participated including allies.

According to a LULAC press release, "Today, civil rights leaders from across the country gathered peacefully in a civil demonstration at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Center in McAllen to demand an immediate termination to the existing zero-tolerance policy. Keynote speakers included the iconic Dolores Huerta; Kerry Kennedy, President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; Domingo Garcia, President, LULAC Council 102; Hector Flores, Past National LULAC President; Rosa Rosales, Past National LULAC President; Rev. Peter Johnson, The Peter Johnson Institute for Nonviolence; Gabriel Rosales, LULAC National Vice President of the Southwest; Michael Waters, Faith Forward Dallas, and Imam Omar Suleiman, Faith Forward Dallas."

Last week Sunday, a Father's Day vigil was held and organized by National Domestic Workers Alliance, United We Dream, ACLU, America's Voice, People's Action, Women's Refugee Commission, Faith in Action, Fuerza del Valle, LUPE (La Unión Del Pueblo Entero), and Neta. The vigil exposed how undocumented children were being held in chain link cages (similar to kennels) at the McAllen border patrol processing center and on Monday a video audio was released and people could hear children crying and asking for relatives and parents.

Several lawsuits have been filed in federal court alleging that undocument children had been subjected and forced to take pyschotic drugs, were beaten, handcuffed naked in cells by detention center staff members who have been contracted by the government to house children.

The ACLU also reported that document's obtained revealed that the border patrol agents and staff from detention centers have sexually, mentally and physically abuse children. 

According to CNN, a lawsuit filed claim a range from unsanitary conditions and invasive monitoring of mail and phone calls to unair-conditioned rooms in hot Texas summers and dosing children with cocktails of psychotropic drugs disguised as vitamins. At one facility, children recounted being held down for forcible injections, which medical records show are powerful antipsychotics and sedatives.
Several centers in the lawsuits included Shiloh RTC in Manvel, Texas and Shenandoah Valley Juvenile Center in Virginia. 

The U.S. Navy is planning to use abandoned military bases to built tent cities (internment camps) to house and detain more than 20,000 undocumented children, according the Pentagon.

Trump recently signed an executive order to keep children united with their undocumented parents while incarcerated and facing criminal charges for entering the U.S. illegally. Immigrant rights activists say it doesn't go far enough and Trump's executive order to unite children did not include a grandfather clause to reunite already separated children with their parents. Trump hasn't provided a plan on how the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is going to reunite children with their parents.

Some children have been lost in the system and can't be located.

The separating of children from undocumented parents by the border patrol is turning into a profit operation (who's profiting by separating or keeping families together detained indefinitely) for a non-profit that operates a dozen facilities housing undocumented children. After the children are processed at border patrol centers including in McAllen, they are transported to detention facilities operated by the non-profit organization Southwest Key Programs Inc., which will be paid more than $458M in 2018 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, according to TIME. The TIME reported that, "The nonprofit, Southwest Key Programs Inc., is to be paid more than $458 million in fiscal 2018, according to the data — the most among the organizations, government agencies and companies that run a detention and care system for immigrant children on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services. Southwest Key has about a dozen facilities in Texas, including a site at a former WalMart Inc. store in Brownsville that has drawn attention from members of Congress and national news organizations."

ABCNEWS reported that it cost about $700 to house a child per day in a facility run by Southwest Key.
Dr. Juan Jose Sanchez, the President and CEO of Southwest Key made $1.47M in salary in 2017 (IRS info), doubling his salary from 2016. Southwest Key operates 83 detention centers/shelters/schools around the country and his wife Jennifer Nelson listed as Vice-president in the latest tax filing made $260,000. In the last ten years, Southwest Key has been paid $1.5B under government contracts, CNN reported.

To deport an undocumented immigrant, it costs an estimated $13K each. According to a 2015 report by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Private Prison Corporations (PPC's) earned $3B for holding ICE detainees. An estimated 34,000 of undocumented immigrants are incarcerated daily costing between $159 to $200 each to hold in a private prison.
States do pay for most of the costs to hold undocumented detainees from their jurisdictions and the federal government reimburse the states about half.
A national day of action against separating children is planned for June 30 around the country, according to organizers.

Domingo Garcia, President of LULAC Council 102 released the following statement, "I have been asked today, Domingo why did you put yourself in front of a big migra bus in McAllen, Texas. It’s because I saw these children’s faces behind the bars on the bus, at the protest. They waived at me, as an American and Christian, I had to act. As a father, I could not let them just disappear or go to another baby jail. I had to try to protect these children of God, from the cruel political games of politicians in Washington D.C. Together we turned that bus around because hundreds joined us. LULAC members from all of Texas joined us. We now have to change the hearts and minds of Americans of who we are and what we stand for as a country, to defeat hate with love, darkness with light, and bigotry with unity. Hasta la Victoria, and we will do this again at every detention center in the nation on July 4th."

"Me han preguntado hoy, Domingo porque te pusiste en frente de ese grande camión de migra en McAllen, Texas. Es porque cuando vi las caras de esos niños detrás de las bardas en el camión en la protesta. Me dieron un saludó con las manos, y como Americano y Cristiano, tenía que tomar acción. Como un padre, yo no podía nomas dejarlos desaparecer o ir a otra cárcel de bebés. Yo tenía que proteger estos niños de Dios, de los juegos políticos de los políticos en Washington D.C. Juntos giramos ese autobús de vuelta porque cientos se unieron a nosotros. Miembros de LULAC de todo Texas se unieron con nosotros. Ahora tenemos que cambiar los corazones y mentes de Americanos de quien somos y cuales son nuestros valores como nación, para derrotar odio con amor, la oscuridad con luz, y fanatismo con unidad. Hasta la Victoria, y los volvemos hacer e todos los centros de detención en todo el país el 4 de Julio".