Federal officials to evaluate Little Rock Air Force Base as site to house migrant children

Federal officials will visit the Little Rock Air Force Base on Thursday to discern whether the base could temporarily house migrant children who are being separated from their parents at the southern border of the U.S., a spokeswoman said Wednesday morning

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services staff members will visit the base, located about 17 miles northwest of Little Rock, though a time hasn't been firmed up, Staff Sgt. Regina Edwards said.

Edwards said she did not know whether members of the media will be allowed to attend the tour and referred that question to a Human Services spokesman. Edwards added that she did not know what exactly the tour would entail yet.

"This one is absolutely something different," she said.

The news follows a crackdown by the Trump administration on illegal immigration at the U.S./Mexico border. A new policy of separating parents from their children has been widely criticized and inspired protests.

The Associated Press reported that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has drafted an executive action for President Donald Trump that would direct her department to keep families together after they are detained crossing the border illegally. She was at the White House on Wednesday, where Trump told reporters he would be "signing something" shortly.

NW News on 06/21/2018

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