States and Cities Rally to Welcome Unaccompanied Children Crossing Mexico-US Border Paul McDaniel - Immigration Impact
go to original August 10, 2014

Texas Towns Weigh in on Child Migrant Crisis (Fusion)

Many of the Central American children who crossed the U.S. border after fleeing their home countries are being placed with family members and sponsors across the country as they await hearings to adjudicate their claims to stay in the U.S., and some states and cities are welcoming them. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R), who released a statement last week saying his state “will show compassion” to the children, said he was touched by the story of a 2-year-old whose parents were killed in gang violence and who was brought to the U.S. to reunite with grandparents. “The child’s grandparents, who are legal residents of the United States, brought the child immediately to their home – as any loving grandparents would,” Deal said. “We’re hopeful the process will work efficiently and the courts can quickly decide who needs to stay and who needs to be returned to their families in their home countries.”

Cities and states receiving and welcoming refugees into their communities is nothing new. For individuals and families who have been displaced by different situations, cities across the country have been places of refugee resettlement. Furthermore, cities and metropolitan areas have a recent history of accepting people displaced by a variety of unfortunate circumstances. Almost a decade ago, for example, Hurricane Katrina forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes in New Orleans and elsewhere along the central Gulf Coast region. Many cities across the South received those families with open arms. As that spirit of welcome continues today, many cities and states are exploring ways to be welcoming and inclusive to immigrants, including refugee children. For example, after meeting with community leaders to discuss Georgia’s role in the unaccompanied minor refugee crisis, Deal said, “As a state we will let the federal process work. And during the time it takes to accomplish that, I’m sure Georgians will show their compassion toward these children who have undergone harrowing circumstances.”

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