The secretary’s visit comes as her department is under scrutiny for the recent deaths of two Guatemalan migrant children in U.S. custody. On Monday, 8-year old\u00a0Felipe Gomez-Alonza<\/a>\u00a0died after coming down with the flu, and 7-year-old\u00a0Jakelin Caal Maquin<\/a>\u00a0died earlier this month of shock and dehydration. Nielsen’s trip began in El Paso, Texas where Gomez-Alonza was apprehended, and where Maquin died.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, Nielsen called the 8-year old’s death “deeply concerning and heartbreaking” and\u00a0announced new medical screening procedures<\/a>\u00a0for all child migrants \u2013 both those travelling with family members and those who arrive unaccompanied. In El Paso, they are being examined at a network of hospitals and pop-up clinics staffed by volunteers. As of Friday, nearly 150 children had been screened under the new procedures and at least four had been admitted to an area hospital, according to the\u00a0Border Regional Advisory Council<\/a>, a non-profit that is helping coordinate the check-ups.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n On Saturday, President Trump blamed Democrats for the two children’s deaths.<\/p>\n Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They can\u2019t. If we had a Wall, they wouldn\u2019t even try! The two…..<\/p>\n — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"Department](\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2018\/12\/26\/ap_18354628738040_sq-0221901685017d529f9bfe06c716dd6ea8512077-s300-c85.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\n