Nearly 50 Democratic members of Congress are calling on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to explain a troubling policy. Their concern: the federal government is allegedly sending pregnant, unaccompanied migrant girls to a single shelter in San Benito, Texas — a state that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. The lawmakers sent a formal letter on April 30, 2026, demanding transparency and accountability from HHS leadership.
Background: The San Benito Shelter at the Center of Controversy
A Policy Traced Back to July 2025
Reports first emerged that, since July 2025, the Trump administration began directing pregnant unaccompanied minors — apprehended by immigration authorities — to the Urban Strategies San Benito facility. The reporting came from The Texas Newsroom and The California Newsroom. Seven ORR sources confirmed the shift. Notably, health and child welfare officials objected to the decision. They argued the facility and surrounding region lacked adequate specialized care for high-risk pregnancies. Despite these objections, the placements continued.
Why Texas Raises Specific Concerns
Texas bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Therefore, placing pregnant minors in a Texas shelter directly limits their access to reproductive healthcare. Furthermore, the Immigration Policy Tracking Project reported that ORR’s July 2025 directive reversed an existing practice. Previously, officials transferred pregnant minors to states where necessary healthcare — including abortion care — remained available.
What the Congressional Letter Demands
San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro led the April 30 letter. It addressed HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and ORR Acting Director Angie Salazar. The lawmakers asked several pointed questions. Specifically, they want to know how many pregnant children currently sit in ORR custody. Additionally, they asked how many the agency sent to San Benito, how many gave birth there, and whether any suffered miscarriages or serious complications.
The letter also asks whether ORR transferred any girls out of Texas to access abortion care. Moreover, lawmakers demanded to know if ORR plans to rescind regulations that currently require pregnant minors to be transported to states where abortion is legal. The letter states clearly: “If so, this policy would contradict your agency’s Field Guidance #21.”
The Troubled Record of Urban Strategies San Benito
A History of Inadequate Care
The congressional letter does not spare the facility from criticism. According to lawmakers, Urban Strategies San Benito has a documented history of failing pregnant children. Since July 2025, more than a dozen pregnant girls — some as young as 13 — were sent there. The shelter operates under a for-profit contractor, which further fuels concerns about accountability.
ORR’s Own Prior Sanctions
In 2024, ORR itself barred the San Benito facility from receiving pregnant minors. Staff allegedly failed to arrange timely medical appointments. They also failed to share critical health information promptly. In addition, staff discharged pregnant girls without arranging continued medical care. ORR later required the facility to submit a remediation plan. However, that plan did not include hiring additional staff or improving staff qualifications — a gap lawmakers find deeply alarming.
HHS Defends Its Placement Decisions
Despite the criticism, HHS has stood by the placements. An agency spokesperson stated that ORR guides its placement decisions by child welfare best practices. The agency also claims it works to house children in the safest, most developmentally appropriate settings — including those who are pregnant or parenting. Critics, however, argue that this defense conflicts with the facility’s documented record of failures.
Rep. Castro’s On-Site Visit: What He Saw
Castro previously visited the San Benito facility and spoke directly with detained girls. His account paints a sobering picture. At the time of his visit, three pregnant girls were present. Three others had already given birth, and three infants were in the facility as well. The youngest child at the shelter was just 5 years old. Castro described seeing one baby asleep in a crib and another held by a mother who appeared to be around 13 or 14 years old.
Beyond the physical conditions, Castro raised concerns about vulnerability. “These are girls, some of whom have been sexually assaulted,” he said. “They’re away from their families, separated from their families.” He also accused ORR officials of withholding key information during his visit — including details about how some girls arrived at the facility and how many had experienced sexual assault.
Reproductive Rights and Legal Obligations
The lawmakers frame the placements as a political decision, not a child welfare one. Their letter argues that deliberately placing girls in a medically inadequate facility — in a state that bans abortion, over the objections of the agency’s own health officials — prioritizes politics over children’s safety. Furthermore, they warn that blocking interstate transfers for abortion care would conflict with ORR’s obligations under both federal child-welfare law and immigration law.
Key Lawmakers Behind the Letter
The letter carries signatures from prominent members of Congress. Signatories include Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Veronica Escobar, Rep. Greg Casar, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and others. Together, they represent a bipartisan call — rooted in child welfare, legal compliance, and reproductive rights — for HHS to answer urgent questions about its handling of the most vulnerable migrant children.
