Video of refugee children marked with numbers on their arms at US border sparks outrage
Many said the practice evoked memories of concentration camps in Nazi Germany.
Children, with numbers on their arms & their lives on the line wait to cross into the US from Juarez, Mexico. More tonight with @Lawrence on @TheLastWord #MSNBC pic.twitter.com/J4k7NWwNzP
— Cal Perry (@CalNBC) December 15, 2018
A few days after reports of a seven-year-old immigrant girl from Guatemala dying of dehydration and shock after being taken into custody by the United States Border Patrol, a video that showed refugee children being marked with numbers at the US-Mexico border has gone viral.
The video, shared by an NBC News reporter, Cal Perry, drew outrage, with people comparing the practice to the similar one adopted by concentration camps in Nazi Germany.
Visions of Auschwitz.
— Bob Glatter (@bob_glatter) December 15, 2018
This scene is frighteningly eerie. How can we the people remain silent about this? Those who don’t know history will repeat.
— Maryanne Gibson (@CharlieD296) December 15, 2018
So now we're back to concentration camps haven't we learnt anything in 73 years it's totally unacceptable for this to happen in this day and age America you are losing a lot of friends
— frederick hawksby (@ComhawksHawksby) December 17, 2018
Where have we seen this before? This is not the America I want; we need to stop tihis!
— Deanna (@SocialControl) December 17, 2018
That is reminding me how slaves were branded during slave trade. It’s so painful to watch this.
— Asma Azam (@AsmaAzam71) December 17, 2018
Although the video did not give information on who drew the numbers and what their purpose was, earlier reports have also said that both children and adults who were asylum seekers were marked with numbers on their forearms. This was to identify them as they waited in long lines to make their case to US Customs and Border Protection.
The report said it was a standard practice at one of the ports of entry in El Paso, Texas. The video posted by Perry was shot at the entry point near Juarez, Mexico.