TB_23151_08 [USA]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 12 March 2013

TB_23167_10 [USA]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 12 March 2013

TB_19177_04 [Mexico]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 10 April 2013

Donald Trump speaks at a dinner with business leaders at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey on Tuesday.: photo by Leah Millis/Reuters, 7 August 2018

...And the early recruits. Seriously though, the Portland Patriot Prayer shot by @petersonpixs is not at all unrelated to this alienating administration launching an entirely new military branch. @SpaceForce: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 9 August 2018

GAZA CITY - A fireball explodes during Israeli air strikes in Gaza City.: Photo @MahmudHams #AFP Photo @AFPphoto, 9 August 2018

GAZA CITY - People inspect the rubble of a building following an Israeli air strike. At least 18 Palestinians were wounded as Israel struck a building in central Gaza. Photo @MahmudHams @AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

epa editor's choice 09 August 2018: A view of the damage to the house of the Khammash family in Deir Al Balah town, central Gaza Strip, 09 August 2018. According to media reports, the pregnant 23-year-old Enas Khammash and her 18-month-old daughter Bayan were killed in an Israeli air strike. #Khammash #GazaUnderAttack #Gaza #Gaza_under_attack #IsraeliAirStrike #KhazarLoveKiss #DeirAlBalah #GazaStrip #Gaza #epaphotos Photo epa-efe / Haitham Imad: image via epaphotos @epaphotos, 9 August 2018

GAZA STRIP - A relative of 23-year-old Palestinian Enas Khammash, who was killed with her toddler in an Israeli airstrike, inspects their bedroom in Deir Al-BalahPhoto @saidkhatib #@AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

Homo Israeli-Americanus putting your tax dollars to work again

Seeing the remains of 23-year-old Palestinian mother Enas Kammash and her infant child

splattered across the wall of their low end shack in Deir Al-Balah on the day

The Space Force officially became a thing

ostensibly to protect you from some figment and me but not really

and we accidentally discovered the place where they're going to put the migrant kids

they haven't killed yet

is a toxic waste site and exploded and unexploded pyro-war-junk medical-chemical military

ordnance dump in the dead zone South Texas desert

might have put the fear of God in me did I not fear Man so much more

A relative of 23-year-old Palestinian Enas Khammash, who was killed along with her 18-month-old daughter in an Israeli airstrike, inspects their damaged home on Thursday.: photo by Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images, 9 August 2018

GAZA STRIP - A Palestinian man smokes as he waits to receive aid at a United Nations food distribution centre in Jabalia refugee campPhoto @MahmudHams @AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

Borges said of Maduro: ‘It’s incredible how he makes a victim of himself when it is he who is responsible for the exodus of millions of Venezuelans.’: photo by EPA, 9 August 2018

Nikki Haley with Obsidian Thug Posse del Norte at the Simon Bolivar bridge on the border between Colombia and Venezuela. Haley said Maduro had ‘created this chaos’.: photo by Schneyder Mendoza/AFP/Getty Images, 9 August 2018

Washington, D.C. — Health, labor and environmental organizations represented by Earthjustice are asking the government via expedited records request to reveal where exactly it plans to detain migrant families slated to be housed in Texas military bases known to have toxic hazards. Filed today, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request comes as the Trump administration is rushing to build migrant detention centers in Fort Bliss in El Paso, and Goodfellow Air Force Bases in San Angelo.

Besides separating children from parents, Trump’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policy created a need for additional capacity to house migrant families detained at the border. The military is providing the extra space. But Fort Bliss is riddled with toxic radiological contaminants and hazardous chemicals including heavy metals and volatile organic compounds from its munitions burial and burning, unexploded ordnance and landfills.

Fort Bliss, in particular, has Superfund sites, which are polluted locations requiring a long-term response to clean up hazardous material contamination. At Goodfellow Air Force Base, the area where tents will be constructed is directly over a former firing range and adjacent to a closed but uncapped landfill. Exposure to toxic chemicals from these sites can cause cancer, neurological damage, developmental harm, and many other diseases. The bases could also have remnants of polyfluorinated compounds called PFAs stemming from the foams used to douse fires during training.

“Detaining migrant families with children in hastily constructed tents on military bases is ill-conceived and dangerous,” said Earthjustice attorney Lisa Evans. “Families could be exposed to radiation, toxic chemicals, unexploded munitions, polluted drinking water and multiple other health hazards. Migrants fleeing desperate conditions do not belong in cages, let alone toxic ones.”

Water testing conducted in 2017 showed certain sites in Fort Bliss had chromium and radiological contaminants. Chromium has been associated with increased risk of respiratory system cancers. Multiple Superfund sites at the base are suspected to contain medical waste, lead-acid batteries, unexploded ordnance, discarded military munitions, and munitions constituents.

“The Trump administration can’t be trusted, especially after it separated families, kept toddlers in inhumane conditions, and then failed to meet court-imposed deadlines to reunite children with parents,” said Rosemary Martinez, Sin Fronteras Organizing Project president. “My father, a veteran, passed away in 2010 because of Agent Orange exposure and other toxic chemicals while stationed at Fort Bliss. What’s happening in our borders is a violation of human rights and now innocent children will continue to pay for the government’s hatred-driven ineptitude.”

The FOIA also seeks data about ten different polluted sites on the two bases that include former nuclear weapons storage areas, firing ranges, open burning, detonation areas and dumping sites. Furthermore, groups wish to know which other bases besides Fort Bliss and Goodfellow Air Force Base may be turned into migrant detention centers.

“The public has a right to know what pollutants are in the base and where will innocent children be detained,” said David Baake, Southwest Environmental Center attorney. “The surrounding community steadfastly opposes the Family Detention Policy, and should not be forced to contribute to suffering by hosting new detention centers in their backyard.”

“This administration first separated migrant families at the border and detained immigrant children in inhumane conditions,” said Laura M. Esquivel Hispanic Federation director of National Advocacy. “Now it could very well detain families together in toxic military sites like Fort Bliss. We will not let this happen.”

“It is horrifying that the few reunited Latino families are being exposed to radioactivity from unexploded ordnance, munitions and years of gunfire training,” said Elena Rios, MD, President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association. “In Fort Bliss, there are still present toxins from past landfills — which means detained immigrant families with children could be forcibly exposed to toxicity linked to cancer and development defects.”

“Our nation needs investment in infrastructure and schools, it does not need detention centers aimed at breaking families apart. Constructing these buildings with the purpose of holding immigrants captive and at the same time endangering their health is inexcusable, and what is more, it is a bigoted action geared at targeting our community,” said Hector Sanchez from the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. “We will not stand by as this administration divides our families, and hurts our communities. We will fight against these atrocities.”

“It’s shocking but unfortunately par for the course that this administration might be on the brink of detaining families with children next to toxic dumping sites and radioactive firing ranges,” said Mark Magaña, President and CEO of GreenLatinos.”But this must not stand. Risking poisoning detained families and children after the Trump administration ripped families apart is beyond the pale.”

The FOIA was filed on behalf of Hispanic Federation, National Hispanic Medical Association, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Southwest Environmental Center, GreenLatinos and Alianza Nacional de Campesinas.

"Got them lil wetback buggers lined up in the crosshairs right now, SIR!""In that case, sergeant - Fire at will! Blow 'em all back to the Rebar Age!"

Transfer-of-authority | by The U.S. Army

Transfer-of-authority. Soldiers from 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, fire a 75mm howitzer during the Fort Bliss transfer-of-authority ceremony from U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command to U.S. Army Forces Command, June 25.: photo by U.S. Army, 5 June 2009

...And the early recruits. Seriously though, the Portland Patriot Prayer shot by @petersonpixs is not at all unrelated to this alienating administration launching an entirely new military branch. @SpaceForce: image via Reading The Pictures @ReadingThePix, 9 August 2018

#OTD in 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, a U.S. B-29 Superfortress code-named Bockscar dropped a nuclear device ("Fat Man") over Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people.: image via AP Images @AP_Images, 9 August 2018

@berkeleyside another smoky sunset over Berkeley: image via Fred Werner @SustainableFred, 7:30 PM 9 August 2018

#Argentina Activists in favour of the legalization of abortion comfort each other after senators rejected the bill to legalize the abortion in Buenos Aires. #AFPphoto by @chatoeitan: image via AFP Photo@AFPphoto, 9 August 2018

#Bangladesh A Rohingya refugee boy looks on as he stands on a fishing boat at Shamlapur camp Photo by @chandanphoto #AFP: image via AFP Photo@AFPphoto, 9 August 2018

#Bangladesh A Rohingya refugee boy carries a load on his shoulders as he walks through Kutupalong camp in Ukhia Photo by @chandanphoto #AFP: image via AFP Photo@AFPphoto, 9 August 2018

#Indonesia Death toll in Indonesia quake hits 319 Photo by @sonny_bali #AFP: image via AFP Photo@AFPphoto, 9 August 2018

#Indonesia Strong aftershock rattles survivors of deadly Indonesian quake Photo Adek Berry #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

#China A cat sits in a carrier with a window as it waits with its owner for a taxi in Shanghai Photo @johaynz#AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

#China A man sleeps on the pavement along Nanjing East Road to escape the heat of residential apartments in Shanghai. Photo @johaynz #AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

#Sri Lanka A Sri Lankan mahout washes an elephant in Colombo. Photo @lakruwan7#AFP: image via Frédérique Geffard @fgeffardAFP, 9 August 2018

TB_1973_52 [Chile]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 15 March 2013

La Victoria shanty, Santiago, Chile | by Marcelo Montecino

La Victoria shanty, Santiago, Chile: photo by Marcelo Montecino, 8 August 2018

mf_01 [Vietnam, wartime]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 26 November 2013

TB_10940_01 [Vietnam, wartime]: photo by Thomas Billhardt, 19 March 2013

I know this picture! The woman is my best friend's grand mother who was saying goodbye forever to her nephew. Her nephew died for the peace of Vietnam. He was my friend's elder brother...

- Hoang Tung, 2013