The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today ( August 15, 2019) dismissed a federal government appeal and ruled that detained migrant children must have access to soap and toothpaste, and cannot be deprived of sleep.
A Justice Department lawyer earlier this year argued before a panel of federal judges that the requirement that children be afforded “safe and sanitary” conditions did not necessarily mean they needed to be given basic hygiene products. The government attorney claimed that the nationwide standard for the treatment of migrant children in custody — was vague and therefore, “it was left to the agencies to determine” what sanitation protocols to follow. The federal judges did not agree with the position of the Justice Department.
