Texas Gov. Says Migrant Children Are Being Sexually Assaulted At San Antonio Facility
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announces the reopening of more Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference at the Texas State Capitol in Austin on Monday, May 18, 2020. Abbott said that childcare facilities, youth camps, some professional sports, and bars may now begin to fully or partially reopen their facilities as outlined by regulations listed on the Open Texas website. Lynda M. Gonzalez-Pool/Getty Images

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on the federal government to close a migrant children facility in San Antonio after receiving abuse and understaffing complaints.

Greg Abbott said on Wednesday that complaints include sexual assault, understaffing, not being fed enough food, and failure to separate COVID-19 positive children from others, according to a KSAT report.

The Texas governor noted that the complaints are credible and were made to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Abbott did not give additional details about who provided the information but said it was from at least one or more people who have been inside the facility.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn asked for a federal investigation on the said allegations of child abuse at the Freeman Coliseum facility in San Antonio, Fox News reported.

"The fact that any child would experience abuse in the care of the U.S. government is despicable. The HHS Inspector General must fully investigate these allegations and the treatment of children at this facility," Cornyn said in the report.

He added that these unaccompanied children have already endured dangerous conditions before reaching the U.S. border.

Abuse Allegations on Migrant Children Facilities

In 2019, the same sexual abuse complaints were made. Thousands of migrant children reportedly suffered sexual abuse while they are in U.S. government custody over the past four years.

Between October 2014 and July 2018, CBS News noted that 4,556 sexual abuse complaints were reported to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

Another 1,303 complaints were made by the Justice Department between fiscal years 2015 and 2018. However, it was not clear whether these complaints overlap with those reported to ORR.

Critics have blamed President Joe Biden for the ongoing border crisis, saying that his decision to undo Trump-era policies has caused the migrant influx at the border.

Abbott blamed Biden for the allegations made in the San Antonio migrant facility. The Texas governor declared the housing facility "a health and safety nightmare," Daily Mail reported.

Greg Abbott added that the Biden administration is "presiding over the abuse of the children," which should immediately be stopped by shutting down the facility.

"While we wait on the Biden administration to act, I'm directing DPS and Texas Rangers to immediately begin investigation these allegations," Abbott noted.

Biden has still refused to call the situation a crisis despite the influx of migrants at the border. He has already tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to address the border issue. Harris has received criticism for not flying down to the southern border to see the situation personally.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that now is not the time for migrants to come to the U.S. as the journey is dangerous.

Mayorkas added that they are also establishing a safe and humane way to address the needs of the migrants, DW reported.

WATCH: Gov. Abbott Says State Agencies Received Reports of Abuse at San Antonio Facility for Migrant Children - From WFAA