(CNN) - First lady Melania Trump attempted to show her compassion Thursday with a visit to the border between U.S. and Mexico, where undocumented immigrant families have been separated, but her message may have been muffled by a fashion choice.
"I'm here to learn about your facility and I'd also like to ask you how I can help," she said.
The first lady was on the southern border on Thursday to see firsthand the reality behind her husband's "zero tolerance" border policy.
But it wasn't what she said that created a stir. It was what she wore - a jacket with the words "I don't really care. Do u?" on the back as she left for Texas and again when she got home.
The first lady's communications director Stephanie Grisham said, "it's a jacket. There was no hidden message."
President Donald Trump contradicted the first lady's communications director, saying the message was directed at the media.
“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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2018
While in Texas, she lost the jacket and visited a children's holding center.
"When the children come here, what kind of state, physical and mental state they come here?" Melania Trump said.
"Usually when they get here they're very distraught in that they don't know where they're at," said Mayra Aydee Sanchez, lead clinician.
She sat down with kids separated from their parents, after being captured trying to illegally cross into the U.S.
"How many times they speak with their relatives, families in a week for example?" Melania Trump said.
"The children are allowed to communicate with their families twice a week," said program director Rogelio de la Cerda Jr.
Journalists weren't allowed to film her meeting the children out of concern for their safety, but in one room, young girls made her a large paper American flag and signed their names to it.
This facility holds almost 60 kids, most of them ages 12 to 17, and was chosen knowing media would be traveling with the first lady.
One of many around the country designed to hold the almost 2,300 children separated from their families.
"How long is the time, the max time that they spend here?" Melania Trump asked.
"Right now, we're averaging 42 to 45 days," de la Cerda said.
"These children, most of them come here alone without parents?" she asked.
"The majority of our children, yes ma'am, they are unaccompanied," said Jose Gonzalez, a field specialist supervisor, division of unaccompanied children operations.
The first lady had to cancel a second stop at the border due to severe flooding.
Zara, the designer of the jacket the first lady wore, had to pull a pajama top in 2014 amid outcry because it resembled the uniform worn by concentration camp prisoners, the Guardian reported.
Twitter user Parker Molloy used the opportunity to photoshop an alternative message for the back of the first lady's jacket and linked out to a website where people can donate to help immigrants.
Since Melania Trump's jacket said "I really don't care"...I set up https://t.co/GL1FF0KpBsClick the link and it'll take you to a site where you can donate to 14 awesome groups helping immigrants all at once. Feel free to RT if that's your jam. pic.twitter.com/TPc4y4ZUfh
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) June 21, 2018
Copyright 2018 CNN. All rights reserved. Raycom News Network contributed to this report.
