FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate lamented that the unaccompanied minors who were initially detained by the federal government were clearly suffering before his agency was allowed to help with the border crisis.

Fugate said that Americans should remember that the children were all “somebody’s child” and should be treated with compassion.

Fugate defended President Obama’s funding request to properly care for the children, particularly for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Fugate’s remarks drew a response from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), who pointed out that it was also important to stop the children from entering the country in the first place.