Democratic Rep Releases Photos of Crowded Migrant Facility in Texas After Media Restriction

Photos taken inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection migrant facility in Texas showed a crowded condition at the border. An Axios report said the photos were from Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Democrat.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has earlier limited media access along the U.S.-Mexico border after seeing an increase in migrant arrivals, which includes a huge number of unaccompanied migrant children.

House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson said the administration could increase media access at the border as soon as this week.

Inside the Migrant Facility

Rep. Henry Cuellar provided the photos to the media outlet in hopes to raise awareness regarding the issue. Cuellar added that each of eight "pods" in the migrant facility has a 260-person occupancy, while one pod houses more than 400 unaccompanied male minors.

Cuellar added that the migrant children should be taken care of "as if they are our own children," according to a USA Today report.

The White House responded on the issue reiterating that the restriction on media access was implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said they are currently finalizing how the media can access migrant facilities, such as the one in Donna, Texas.

Psaki also took the chance to explain that the current situation in migrant facilities is not a crisis.

"Children presenting at our border who are fleeing violence, who are fleeing prosecution, who are fleeing terrible situations, is not a crisis," she was quoted in a report.

The press secretary added that they feel that it is their responsibility to approach the situation humanely and ensure that the migrants are treated and put in conditions that are safe.

As for the migrant facilities, they felt that these are not the places they want the children to be staying for a long period of time.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Dan Bishop said that the situation right now at the migrant facilities is far worse than any under former President Donald Trump.

Media Access

Many are clamoring for removing the media access restrictions to border facilities, such as the award-winning photographer John Moore.

"I respectfully ask US Customs and Border Protection to stop blocking media access to their border operations," Moore was quoted in a Fox News report.

Moore added that he had photographed CBP under Bush, Obama, and Trump. However, the current administration grants zero access to the media.

Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also called for the same act. Saenz also noted that this should be done while respecting the privacy of the immigrants housed inside the facility.

He emphasized the risk of posting the said images of the children who have already experienced trauma.

Agencies involved have also denied full access to nonprofit lawyers to do an oversight where the children are detained.

Migrant Policies Reform

Biden has trashed certain Trump administration policies such as the "Remain in Mexico" program. However, he continues to impose the public health order, which sent migrants back to their countries.

The administration has declined to send out immigrant children without a parent and moving to speed up the reunion of hundreds of separated immigrant families.

Cuellar said that what the former administration did was horrible. However, he said that it is really difficult to implement such changes even with the best intentions.

WATCH: Rep. Cuellar: White House isn't doing enough to address migrants at border facility - from CNBC Television