The Pentagon Press Briefing Room seal as seen March 27, 2020, Washington, D.C. (DoDo photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

By Gary  Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The Department of Defense Wednesday approved a request for assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to temporarily house unaccompanied migrant children at a vacant dormitory at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, Texas. The move  comes as the number of unaccompanied immigrant minors at the southern U.S. border has surged under the Biden administration.   The  DOD also approved the construction of  suitable temporary housing facility on  area of land on Fort Bliss, Texas.   DOD will provide HHS officials access to these locations immediately to begin initial actions to prepare for receiving unaccompanied migrant children as soon as preparations are complete, according to Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby.   “This support will be on a fully-reimbursable basis, and will not negatively affect military training, operations, readiness, or other military requirements, including National Guard and Reserve readiness. HHS will maintain custody and responsibility for the well-being and support for these children at all times on the installation,”  the Pentagon Press Secretary said in a statement. 

In February, an estimated 9,297 unaccompanied minors came to the border. The highest number to arrive at the border during the administration of former President Donald Trump was 11,475 children in May 2019, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  The Border Patrol detained more than 11,000 unaccompanied migrant children between February 28 and March 20, according to preliminary government data reviewed by CNN, already eclipsing the number of minors apprehended in the full month of February.