Washington, June 6: A fund deficiency has compelled the Donald Trump regime to issue a controversial directive, which would force shelter homes to restrict or cancel an array of facilities being provided to migrant children, including English classes, legal assistance and recreation spaces including soccer playgrounds.

A statement issued by the Department of Health and Human Services said the austerity measure has been necessitated due to acute fund crunch. The Department had sought $3 billion from the Congress earlier this year to shore up its migrant program. The House, however, is yet to approve the funds. US-Mexico Border Apprehensions Top 132,000 in May

The statement released by Evelyn Stauffer, a department spokeswoman, said the Office of Refugee Resettlement has ordered all shelter homes housing unaccompanied migrant children to scale down on the facilities which are not essential under the constitutionally enshrined right to life.

The Office has “instructed grantees to begin scaling back or discontinuing awards for U.A.C. (unaccompanied minor) activities that are not directly necessary for the protection of life and safety, including education services, legal services, and recreation", the statement read.

The move will hit nearly 41,500 children shored up at the shelter homes based at the southern border. Most of the beneficiaries are minors from Central Asia, who have fled their nations due to poverty and violence.

According to civil right activists, one of the reasons behind fund crunch is the extended stay of children at such camps. During the Barack Obama-era, the custody of parent-less migrant kids was handed over to their relatives staying in the US after a short review process.

The Trump regime has, however, tightened the norms as it does not intend to allow the migrant kids to be handed over to residents who lack economic means to sustain them. Due to this measure, the average stay period of per kid has increased by 50-75 days at the shelter homes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2019 11:55 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).