Rep. Dan Kildee on immigration reform, border control: 'History will not treat us well if we do this wrong'

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee speaks with the Bay City Times Editorial Board about immigration and border control issues, in addition to the arrival of 24 unauthorized Central American children into Bay City later this month.

Andrew Dodson August 07, 2014

BAY CITY, MI — Taking a humanitarian approach on a national issue that is now playing out in Bay and Tuscola counties, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, says the U.S. could be on the wrong side of history if the right moves aren't made when dealing with an influx of more than 60,000 Central American children into the country.

"What I really worry about is that the argument is making the fate of these children the placeholder for a lot of conversations that, so far, our government isn't willing to have with itself," Kildee said in a meeting with The Bay City Times Editorial Board on Wednesday, Aug. 6.

"History will not treat us well if we do this wrong. We all define ourselves as being really, seriously compassionate people who are world leaders when it comes to the rights of human beings and people who are at risk, especially."

Kildee, who represents Michigan's 5th Congressional District, which covers part of Bay, Saginaw, Tuscola, Genesee, Iosco and Arenac counties, says he's closely following activity in Bay City as Wellspring Lutheran Services prepares to bring 24 unauthorized immigrant children and teens, ages 6-13, from Central America to its facility at 304 Tuscola Road by month's end, and in Vassar, where Wolverine Human Services is working to land a contract with the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement to house up to 60 male unaccompanied minors, ages 12-17.

While Wellspring officials have said they have secured a contract, Kildee contends it's not finalized, but added that efforts are farther along than Wolverine in Vassar.

"We've been interacting with (The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and discussions on both sides are serious," he said.

According to Wellspring officials, the nonprofit would house the unauthorized children and teens for 30 to 45 days. Bay City officials said in a statement that their stay would not be for more than 90 days.

The congressman said it's overdue for U.S. officials to begin serious talks on comprehensive immigration reform, beginning with giving more resources for additional immigration judges. Currently, he said, there are 240 immigration judges nationwide with an average caseload of about 1,400 cases.
"I just think everyone would be well-served to take a deep breath and think about who we are talking about and how they'll be cared for." - Dan Kildee

He also said legitimate asylum cases that are protected under a 2008 federal law that privileges Central American minors to a court hearing before they are deported needs to be expedited during the judicial process.

"We need to expedite this with more than judicial capacity. The process needs to be streamlined," he said.

Citing statistics from the United Nations, Kildee estimates about half of the Central American children coming over the border are legitimately seeking asylum.

Those children, he said, are often placed with family members already in the country, or in a facility that's tantamount to foster care.

"There are bad guys taking advantage of a situation," Kildee said. "There are people paying money to take people to the border. It's a mix of legitimate asylum cases and those who are trying to gain entry into the U.S. for reasons other than what the 2008 law provides for."

Kildee says his office receives many calls each day regarding the debate of bringing the Central American children and teens to mid-Michigan.

"I don't discount people's anxieties about this," he said. "I just think everyone would be well-served to just take a deep breath and think about who we are talking about and how they'll be cared for, and realize that other than their language, they're not that dissimilar from the other kids that are being cared for in facilities that are here.

"If we were to have that conversation without the backdrop of all the anxiety of the larger immigration question, I think it would be a different conversation."


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