Washington, May 21 (RHC)-- In the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is launching two new probes into the agency’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.  One probe will investigate how FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has dealt with the crisis.  The second probe will focus on the treatment of immigrants held at Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. 

ICE reported last week that at least 1,145 immigrants in their custody have tested positive for COVID-19 across U.S. immigration jails.  ICE’s Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, Florida, is emerging as a new hot spot for the virus.  In recent days, the number of COVID infections jumped from three to nearly 20, a more than 500% increase. 

In other immigration news, the CDC has indefinitely extended an order that gives border agents the power to quickly expel migrants without due process.  On Tuesday, the Donald Trump administration announced the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada will remain closed to nonessential travel until at least June 22nd.