Officials in recent months have given the green light for more than a dozen immigrant youth shelters in Texas to hold more children than their licenses permit.

The Texas Observer, citing records it obtained, reported Tuesday that at least 15 immigrant shelters have been granted permission to exceed their child-care licenses. Two additional shelters have applications pending with the state.

The Casa Rio Grande shelter in San Benito, for example, increased its capacity from 160 to 236. Nueva Esperanza in Brownsville jumped from 200 to 295. In total, Texas is allowing an additional 722 kids inside shelters already at their maximum capacity, a 16 percent increase, the Observer reported.

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Texas health inspectors had found nearly 150 violations at more than a dozen Southwest Key Program shelters, The Associated Press reported last week. Violations from last year included inadequate supervision and lack of timely medical care, the AP reported. Children were also given medications they were allergic to...(more)