Political Quotes

“My amendment would require the Office of Refugee Resettlement, ORR, to disclose to committees of jurisdiction and to legal orientation providers a monthly census of the unaccompanied children in their custody, and to do that broken down by gender and by age. This amendment arose from our personal experience last year when, during the height of the family separation, we couldn't find out where the kids were being held in Virginia. In fact, when we did find out, we found out from the media, from newspaper reporters and television reporters. I recognize the need to respect these minors' privacy, but there has to be an exception for the individuals who are in a position to help them, people on the congressional committees that have the oversight and the legal counsel. They have got to know where they are. This is especially true now that we are learning that ORR is using unlicensed facilities like Homestead and Carizzo Springs. Increased transparency around the unlicensed facilities is necessary in order for legal advocates to effectively monitor the conditions and to track violations of the Flores settlement. The legal orientation providers can't serve these kids if they don't know where they are. Neither they nor the legal help of the kids nor the leaders in Congress should be learning about the shelters through the media. The second piece of the amendment is the monthly census broken down by age and gender.…”