Former White House chief of staff joins board of unaccompanied migrant children's shelter

The former White House chief of staff, John Kelly, has joined the board of directors of a company that runs reception centers for undocumented migrant children.

Kelly was one of President Donald Trump's best collaborators when he adopted his "zero tolerance" policy at the border, which forced the separation of some 2,700 children from their families in a few weeks and sent them into private shelters in the United States.

The Trump administration has since abandoned forced family separations and reunited many of these families by court order. However, the government said some 12,650 children were still in shelters this week, mostly older children and adolescents who arrived at the border alone and waiting to be placed with sponsors.

Caliburn International, the parent company of Comprehensive Health Services – which oversees one of the largest migrant children's shelters – announced Friday that Kelly would join the board with several other retired military leaders. CBS News first reported the appointment.

Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE

"With four decades of military and humanitarian leadership, a deep understanding of international business and an understanding of the current economic drivers in the world, General Kelly is a strong strategic asset to our team," said James Van Duse, CEO of Caliburn International .

Comprehensive Health Services operates the Florida "Homestead Temporary Facility", which currently houses 2,200 miners. The company also has three other facilities in Texas.

Trump's critics, including some congressional Democrats, have called for the closure of Homestead and other shelters and to allow children to be placed with godfathers immediately. The federal government has responded that it takes time to ensure that children are not put in dangerous situations.

Andres Leighton / AP, FILE

"Our board of directors remains extremely focused on providing advice on the safety and well-being of unaccompanied minors entrusted to our care by the Department of Health and Social Services to meet a very urgent need to take care of these people and help them find them. unaccompanied minors, "said Van Duse in his statement.

US border authorities have insisted that the government no longer separate families at the border except in rare circumstances, for example when there is evidence of a serious crime. According to them, the large number of minors is part of a larger flow of migrants arriving at the border from Central America in search of asylum.