Children's drawings depict caged life in US detention centres near Mexico border

Drawings by children depicting their time in United States detention facilities have offered a haunting insight.

Drawings done by children of their time in US detention facilities, according to pediatricians. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics.

Paediatricians have shared the pictures done by children at the Catholic Charities Humanitarian respite centre in McAllen, Texas.

The drawings depict people in caged conditions.

The centre is where families go after being released from detention facilities near the United States-Mexico border.

Children were reportedly asked by the staff there to draw about their time in US Customs and Border Protection custody.

“These drawings show children’s views of their time in detention at the US Southern Border,” the American Acadamy of Pediatrics wrote in a tweet.

“AAP believes no time in detention is healthy or safe for children.”

The American of Pediatrics say the drawings show children’s views of their time in detention at the US southern border. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics.

The drawings depict people in caged conditions. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics.

The pictures were drawn last week by kids aged 10 and 11, according to CNN.

There reveal comes after government inspectors warned of severely overcrowded conditions at detention facilities dealing with an influx of migrants at the border.

The US Department of Homeland Security reports detail "serious overcrowding and prolonged detention of unaccompanied alien children, families, and single adults."

Democratic lawmakers who visited two of the Texas facilities this week raised concerns over “horrifying” conditions with no running water.

But US President Donald Trump has since taken to Twitter in their defence.

Defiant against claims of mistreatment and inhumane conditions.

“If Illegal Immigrants are unhappy with the conditions in the quickly built or refitted detention centres, just tell them not to come. All problems solved!” he wrote.

He targeted those Democratic lawmakers who have spoken out against the situation.

“Democrat visitors will act socked & aghast at how terrible things are,” he said.

“Tell migrants not to come into our country unless they are willing to do so legally.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics has said they are “alarmed” by reports of unsafe conditions confronting immigrant children.

The government inspectors' report included images of migrants packed shoulder to shoulder in detention facilities in cage-like holding areas.

Overcrowding of families observed by Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General on June 10, 2019 at Border Patrol's McAllen, Texas station. Source: OIG

Families at Border Patrol's McAllen, Texas Centralised Processing Centre. Source: OIG