CA. Shelter for illegal alien kids rejected in Escondido
Shelter for immigrant kids rejected in Escondido
Residents Upset Over Potential Housing Of Minor...
Residents who are opposed to housing the 96 undocumented children are worried about safety, traffic, disease and the general image of Escondido as being lenient to illegal immigration.
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ESCONDIDO, Calif. – At a packed meeting Tuesday night, the Escondido Planning Commission unanimously rejected a request by the federal government to open a shelter for unaccompanied immigrant children who illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico and Central America.
http://tribkswb.files.wordpress.com/...pg?w=465&h=257An Escondido Planning Commission meeting about a proposed shelter for immigrant children drew an overflow crowd Tuesday night.
Before the 7-0 vote, many members of the overflow crowd addressed the panel. Most urged the commission to block the shelter.
Southwest Key, a nonprofit organization from Texas that provides alternative shelters to immigrant children, recently secured a lease at the old Palomar Continuing Car Facility on Avenida del Diablo in Escondido. It proposed operating a shelter there under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Escondido Mayor Sam Abed told Fox 5 he doesn’t have much information about Southwest Key’s plans.
“We are trying to find information about this,” said Escondido Mayor San Abed. “There is no plan whatsoever except that we`re going to provide them with services in a prison-like facility.”
Southwest Key’s unaccompanied program assists detained minors ages 6-17 by providing shelter services and encourages various development skills, including personal, social, academic and vocational while they await reunification with their families.
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The number of children entering the US from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras has more than doubled since 2013, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The mayor said he doesn’t like what he sees and is concerned that the immigrants housed at the facility won’t be required to have criminal background checks and health screenings.
“They can lease anything they want, but they can’t use it until we approve it,” Abed said.
Escondido resident Kitty Demry said Southwest Key is going to turn it into a federal detention facility for juveniles. She wants to pull the plug on their plans.
“It’s not here, I don’t agree that they should be here,” Demry said.
Demry said this type of facility is not only inappropriate, but it will hurt more than help.
“Let’s be humanitarian. Let’s find something that’s appropriate space wise for these kids and not put them in Escondido.”
Few people at Tuesday’s meeting spoke out in favor of the facility. A 22-year Marine veteran Luis Ramiro believes the children deserve a chance.
“If you don’t pass this thing, Escondido is going to continue being the armpit of the immigration of the west coast,” Ramiro said.
Read more: http://fox5sandiego.com/2014/06/24/p...#ixzz35fZINIYQ
New Shelter for Border Children Rejected
by Kristin Tate 26 Jun 2014, 8:53 AM PDT
breitbart
HOUSTON, Texas--The colossal wave of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border has left federal authorities scrambling to find shelter to house the migrants. So far, housing facilities have been established in numerous states, some not even on the border. But a new proposed shelter in California has been denied.
The Escondido Planning Commission rejected a proposal to create a new housing center for the migrants in a former nursing home, according to ABC10. Had the proposal passed, the facility would have included 96 beds.
The shelter would have been operated by a nonprofit called Southwest Key. "We think we can be a benefit to the city of Escondido. We are offering 150 jobs to the local community. We would be infusing $8.5 million a year every year into the local economy," Alexis Rodriguez, a spokesperson with Southwest Key, apparently said regarding the new facility.
About 500 people reportedly gathered at the Escondido City Hall on June 24 to discuss the proposal--most individuals in attendance apparently opposed it.
"Rather than shipping these people all across America, send them back to their countries of origin," one man in attendance said. Another attendee--this one a legal immigrant from Asia--reportedly added, "We did it the right way. We waited in line. We had our lungs X-rayed. If they want to do it the right way, let's do that, but I feel like this is being forced on us. This is not a temporary situation."
ABC10 reported that the Escondido mayor also opposed the proposal.
Many have taken issue not only with the facilities where the migrants are being housed, but also the treatment immigrants receive upon arrival. Subsequent to entering the U.S. illegally, the border children are given a myriad of taxpayer subsidized benefits--this includes transportation, housing, food, education, vocational training, and even legal counsel. Additionally, most of the illegal immigrants will ultimately be allowed to stay in the U.S.
The Obama Administration, however, continues to insist that the cause of the crisis is violence and poverty in the migrants' home countries.
It is easy to imagine that the release--coupled with the benefits while in custody--only further incentivizes minors to enter the country illegally.
Zack Taylor, Chairman of the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers, told Breitbart Texas that foreigners are given incentives to come into the U.S. illegally. He said, "It's like if someone stood on the side of the pavement and said, 'Free ice cream, free money!' Who doesn't like free ice cream and free money? How about a free ride on a plane or bus?"
He concluded, "Our government is encouraging foreign nationals to come into our country illegally and stay."
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-T...ldren-Rejected
