Former North Carolina boarding school to accommodate migrant children in the U.S. during the upcoming summer

Biden Administration Plans to House 800 Unaccompanied Migrant Children in North Carolina Boarding School

The Biden administration is preparing to house up to 800 unaccompanied migrant children who have been processed along the southern border in a repurposed boarding school in North Carolina. According to a U.S. official familiar with the plan, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement intends to open the facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, in August. The former home of a boarding school known as the American Hebrew Academy will accommodate boys and girls between the ages of 13 and 17 who entered U.S. border custody without their parents or legal guardians. With 800 beds, this campus will become the government’s largest active housing facility for unaccompanied minors.

The facility in Greensboro will be designated as an “influx care facility,” which refers to emergency housing sites set up by HHS during a surge in child migrant arrivals along the southern border. This move comes after reports of substandard conditions and child depression in another influx care facility in Texas, a tent camp inside the Fort Bliss U.S. Army post. To address these concerns, HHS plans to stop housing unaccompanied children at the Fort Bliss facility and place it in an “inactive” status. The facility in Greensboro, however, offers more promising conditions as it was originally set up to house students and includes educational instruction, recreation, mental health support, and medical services.

While the Biden administration has faced criticism for its reliance on influx care facilities, advocates for migrant children argue that the government should prioritize licensed shelters regulated by state child welfare agencies. Neha Desai, a lawyer at the National Center for Youth Law, expressed concerns about the prolonged use of unlicensed facilities, stating that it undermines the commitment to placing children in licensed facilities and fails to prioritize their best interests.

Unaccompanied children who lack legal immigration status are typically housed in shelters, foster homes, and emergency housing facilities until they turn 18 or can be placed with a U.S.-based sponsor. Most of these children are teenagers who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization after fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. While HHS facilities generally provide better conditions than Border Patrol stations, the use of influx care facilities has been a subject of controversy due to reports of subpar services and distressed children.

Although arrivals of unaccompanied minors along the U.S.-Mexico border have declined since reaching a record high in fiscal year 2022, HHS is still housing over 5,800 migrant children, the lowest level during the Biden administration. This marks a significant drop from a peak of 22,000 minors in the spring of 2022. The Biden administration has faced challenges in responding to the increased number of unaccompanied children entering border custody, leading to the conversion of work camps, convention centers, and military bases into makeshift shelters.

The overall number of illegal border crossings has also decreased recently. Despite expectations of a surge in migrant arrivals following the termination of the Title 42 public health restrictions on migration, unlawful border crossings have significantly dropped. HHS’ handling of unaccompanied minors has come under scrutiny due to cases of migrant teens working dangerous and grueling jobs after being released from government custody. The administration has vowed to improve the vetting of sponsors and prosecute cases of child exploitation in worksites.

In conclusion, the Biden administration’s plan to house 800 unaccompanied migrant children in a repurposed boarding school in North Carolina aims to address the ongoing challenges of providing appropriate care and housing for these vulnerable individuals. While concerns about the use of influx care facilities persist, the Greensboro facility offers a more promising environment for the children with its educational, recreational, and healthcare services. The administration’s efforts to address issues such as substandard conditions and child labor exploitation demonstrate a commitment to improving the well-being of unaccompanied minors.

Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-06-28 16:14:00