The Biden administration has been accused of sending baby formula to illegal immigrants at the expense of American families.
Supply chain issues and the closing of a major manufacturing plant caused more than 40 percent of formulas to be out of stock around the country. Parents are scrambling for a solution because of the limited availability. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that the House would take action on the issue next week, after the Biden administration announced modest steps to address the crisis.
The shortage has become fodder for political attacks from Republicans, who have criticized the administration's immigration policies. One lawmaker said that those opposed to providing migrant infants with formula belong to a pro starvation caucus.
It is not true that President Biden is choosing to prioritize the needs of immigrant children over those of American children. A lawsuit settlement requires the Trump administration to provide food and water to migrant children at the border. It is not likely that the amount of formula in stock would make a difference.
Here is a fact check.
What was said?
This is not true. The settlement of a class-action lawsuit that was brought against the Reagan administration and settled under the Clinton administration requires the government to provide food, baby formula, and water to migrant children who are held at the border.
The Flores settlement laid out the appropriate treatment of children in immigration custody, including drinking water and food, as well as safe and sanitary facilities.
The government agreed to quickly release children from internment. The Trump administration separated families at the border to get around Flores. The administration tried to replace Flores with regulations, but a federal judge turned them down.
Despite the Trump administration's dislike of the settlement, it still abided by its food and water requirements. Inspector general reports found that all Border Patrol facilities had baby formula. Customs and Border Protection stated in a news release that facilities provided formula.
Infant formula has been cited in funding legislation by Congress. Lawmakers gave the agency 40.2 million dollars in 2019.
Customs and Border Protection purchases supplies in bulk, usually months or years in advance. In 2015, the agency awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to a food distributor to provide meals for migrant children in the Rio Grande Valley.
A growing problem. A nationwide shortage of baby formula has left parents confused and concerned. There are ways to manage uncertainty.
Finding a formula. If your baby's formula wasn't affected by the recall, you can call your local store and ask when it will be back in stock. You can buy it online. If your baby is on special formula, you should reach out to your doctor's office.
A new formula is being picked. If you use a name-brand formula, look for a generic version. If you want a new formula that matches your usual one, seek it. If your baby is on a special formula, make sure to check with your doctor.
A new product transition. You want to switch your child gradually. Gradually phase out the old product when you mix three quarters of your usual formula with one quarter of the new one. If you can transition gradually because you have run out of your usual formula, it's fine.
What not to do. If you can't find your baby's usual formula, don't make your own, homemade formulas are often inadequate and at risk of being contaminated. Don't try to stretch your formula by adding more water, and don't buy it from unvetted online marketplaces. Don't use toddler formula for a baby less than a year old.
Customs and Border Protection didn't respond to questions about its procurement process. The agency said in a statement that it is in line with the administration's commitment to ensuring safe, orderly and humane processes at the border.
Steven L. Schooner, a professor of government procurement law at George Washington University, was skeptical that the agency's purchases had any effect on the current supply of baby formula.
He wrote in an email that he was extremely confident that any volume of formula that D.H.S./C.B.P. buys is zero in terms of market share.
There were 3.6 million births in the United States in the year 2020. The number of infants being held at the border is much smaller. In March, immigration authorities arrested over 38,000 people traveling with a family member. The amount of formula consumed by infants while in the care of Customs and Border Protection would be insignificant because the regulations limit the time that migrants can be held.
If someone thinks we should starve immigrant babies, the supply and supply in transit could be diverted.
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