Border Patrol Objects to Detention Cages Reports: 'Not Inaccurate, but They're Not Treated Like Animals'

The U.S. Border Patrol has objected to the media's use of the word 'cages' when describing the conditions of the detention center in South Texas used to separate migrant children from their parents as they are "not being treated like animals."

The agency admitted that it is not an "inaccurate" way to describe the metal fencing keeping people who attempted to illegally gain entry into the country from Mexico, but feel "uncomfortable" with the association.

The statement was provided to CBS This Morning and read out on air by co-host Gayle King following the network's report on the shelter.

"They are very uncomfortable, in their words, with this characterization of the word 'cages,'" King said. "They said it's not inaccurate, but they're very uncomfortable with using the word 'cages.'

"They said they may be cages, but they're not being treated like animals," King added. "A lot of people looking at that don't entirely see the distinction."

The attempt from Border Patrol to stop the using the word cages arrived as Fox and Friends host Steve Doocy described them as merely look like something you would keep animals in.

"I'm from a farm community, I see the chain-link fences, it's more like a security pen to me," he told viewers.

The Texas facility is generally known as Ursula because of the street it is on, though immigrants are reportedly calling it La Perrera—dog kennel in Spanish, reports the BBC.

According to an Associated Press report of the conditions of the center, one cage was occupied by at least 20 children.

Around 2,000 children have reportedly been separated from their families over a six-week period as a result of the policy.

Writing in the Washington Post, former first lady Laura Bush urged President Donald Trump to end the "cruel" and "immoral" separations.

"These images are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in US history," Bush added.

Speaking at the National Sheriff's Association conference in New Orleans on Monday (June 18).

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen refused to apologize for enforcing the immigration laws. "We are doing none of those things. We are enforcing the laws passed by Congress," she said.

Nilsen previously denied her department are purposely seprating children from their families.

"We do not have a policy of separating families at the border. Period," Nielsen tweeted. "For those seeking asylum at ports of entry, we have continued the policy from previous administrations and will only separate if the child is in danger, there is no custodial relationship between 'family' members, or if the adult has broken a law."

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the Texas center, Trump said in a series of tweets: "Children are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country. Has anyone been looking at the Crime taking place south of the border. It is historic, with some countries the most dangerous places in the world. Not going to happen in the U.S.

"It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Boarder Security and Crime. Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws! "