FILE - In this June 23, 2018 file photo, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent walks between vehicles outside the Central Processing Center in McAllen, Texas. U.S. border agents have temporarily closed their primary facility for processing migrants in South Texas one day after authorities say a 16-year-old died after being diagnosed with the flu at the facility. In a statement released late Tuesday, May 21, 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it would stop detaining migrants at the processing center in McAllen, Texas. CBP says "a large number" of people in custody were found Tuesday to have high fevers. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

US closes facility that detained migrant who later died

By The Associated Press May 21, 2019 at 8:39pm

HOUSTON (AP) — U.S. border agents temporarily closed their primary facility for processing migrants in South Texas one day after the death of a 16-year-old who was diagnosed with the flu at the facility.

In a statement released late Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said “a large number” of people in custody at the McAllen, Texas facility had high fevers. The agency says it is working to provide medical treatment to all those with fevers.

Migrants apprehended in the Rio Grande Valley will be held at other locations until the situation is resolved, the agency said.

The processing center is a converted warehouse that holds hundreds of parents and children at a time in large, fenced-in pens.

CBP said Monday that a 16-year-old from Guatemala died after being detained at the facility for six days, twice as long as generally allowed by U.S. law. After being diagnosed with the flu on Sunday, Carlos Hernandez Vasquez was transferred to a smaller Border Patrol station, where he was found unresponsive Monday.

Carlos was the fifth child since December to die after being apprehended by border agents.

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