Approximately 800 or more unaccompanied children (UAC’s) from Central America will be transferred to North Texas in Ellis and Rockwall counties. The transfer is necessary because of the wave of children who are being housed on the border.
The federal government has told Texas county officials that the move is necessary because there has been a surge on the border and facilities are packed there.
NBCDFW reports that Ellis County Commissioner Paul Perry said that around 500 children will be brought to an Assembly of God church camp. Perry told the local station that the federal government just provided him notice on Wednesday morning. He was told that most of the unaccompanied minors are boys and young men.
Commissioner Perry said that the county did not ask for the children to come to the county. He said “This is being imposed upon us with very little notice.” The federal government did so without consulting with them.
Rockwall County Judge David Sweet says 300 of the UAC’s will be housed in his county at the Sabine Creek ranch.
A press release on the Rockwall County, Texas, website states that the children are between the ages of 12 and 18. It also provides that the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (HHSC) has assumed responsibility for the children and has ensured health screening clearance.
Officials are saying there will not be any financial impacts to the county or to the public schools in these counties and they will not be attending public schools.
Government officials also say that this is a temporary solution and the children will be staying for only 21 days.
Specific information about each UAC is maintained by the HHSC and officials say the information is not subject to release to county officials.
These children are said to arrive “in the near future.”
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as an associate judge and prosecutor. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2
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