Amid budget crisis, Army base considered for unaccompanied migrant children
Amid budget crisis, Army base considered for unaccompanied migrant children
BY GRAHAM KATES
UPDATED ON: JUNE 5, 2019 / 11:54 AM / CBS NEWS
As the agency responsible for housing unaccompanied migrant minors faces what it calls an "emergency" funding crisis over the swelling numbers of children in its care, its personnel Wednesday are touring an Army base in Georgia to potentially use for its next large holding facility.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed to CBS News that officials are meeting with Defense Department (DoD) personnel to tour vacant space at Fort Benning Wednesday.
"This effort will have no impact on DoD's ability to conduct its primary missions nor on military readiness," the agency said in a statement.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is required by law to house migrant children who are not accompanied by parents when apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security. According to agency statistics, ORR took in 40,900 children during the first seven months of the current fiscal year, an increase of 57 percent from last year.
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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/officials-facing-budget-shortfall-tour-fort-benning-base-in-search-of-beds-for-unaccompanied-migrant-children/
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