Brownsville, June 8 (RHC)-- In Texas, Oregon Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley was barred from entering a detention center for immigrant children in Brownsville, after traveling to the center -- housed inside an old Walmart -- to see first-hand the Trump administration’s practice of separating immigrant children from their parents.

Senator Merkley tweeted: “I was barred entry.  Asked repeatedly to speak to a supervisor.  He finally came out and said he can’t tell us anything.  Police were called on us.  Children should never be ripped from their families & held in secretive detention centers.”

Federal authorities reportedly separated at least 600 immigrant children from their parents last month, sparking widespread outrage and international condemnation.  

Meanwhile, in more immigration news, Houston authorities say there was a 16 percent drop in reports of domestic violence from the Latino community last year.  Community advocates are concerned women are not reporting domestic violence out of fear of deportation.