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First Lady Pays Surprise Visit to Migrant Children at Texas Detention Shelter

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WASHINGTON – First lady Melania Trump took a surprise trip to Texas Thursday to visit of a facility housing youth separated from their parents after they crossed the border illegally.

The first lady toured Upbring New Hope Children's Shelter, which cares for children ages 12 to 17.

She laughed with the children, asked where they were from and how long they had been there. As she left one classroom, she urged the children to "be kind and nice to each other."

Mrs. Trump was first told that 58 kids were in the shelter, but an employee later informed her that it's now 55 because three children had been reunited with their families.

"Oh, that's great," Mrs. Trump said. "That's three of them; they already reunited."

She asked the staff questions about their care, how long some have been detained and efforts to reunite them with family.

"I want to thank you for your hard work and compassion," Mrs. Trump said. "I know you house children for a long-term basis."

"And I would also like to ask you how I can help these children to reunite with their families as quickly as possible," she continued.

Speaking before a meeting with his Cabinet, President Donald Trump said watching families being separated has been tough. "It really bothered her to see this," he said. "We are all bothered by it."

"She believes we need to be a country that follows all laws but also a country that governs with heart," Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Trump, said earlier this week.

First Lady's Jacket Makes Headlines

However, the first lady's trip was slightly overshadowed by her wardrobe choice.

The green jacket she wore while getting on and off the plane read, "I don't really care, do u?" in big white font across her back.

In a statement, Grisham said it was just a jacket and not a hidden message.

Later, President Trump tweeted, "'I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?' written on the back of Melania's jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!"

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About The Author

Ben
Kennedy

Ben Kennedy is an Emmy Award-winning White House correspondent for CBN News in Washington, D.C. He has more than a decade of reporting experience covering breaking news nationwide. He's traveled cross country covering the President and scored exclusive interviews with lawmakers and White House officials. Kennedy spent seven years reporting for WPLG, the ABC affiliate in Miami, Florida. While there he reported live from Kingston, Jamaica, as Hurricane Matthew hit the island. He was the first journalist to interview Diana Nyad moments after her historic swim from Cuba to Key West. He reported