Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said on Wednesday that humane treatment of children, enhanced border security and tweaks to immigration laws are required to address the influx of illegal immigrant children arriving at the border.
Granger, the chairwoman of a working group tasked with developing recommendations for the unfolding southern border crisis, said the group has focused on the safety of the children while developing a specific list of recommendations in recent weeks, according to a press release.
“Our focus has been to ensure the safety of the children, and it has remained a top priority throughout this process,” Granger said. “In our personal meetings with the presidents of Honduras and Guatemala, they both stated that they wanted their children back, and we believe that is in the best interest of all the countries involved in this crisis. We look forward to working with these countries as they prepare to receive their children back.”
The working group recommended messaging campaigns in South American countries to dispel “immigration myths” and to make clear that those who immigrate to the United States illegally would be sent home. It also suggested that repatriation centers be established to facilitate the return of families and unaccompanied minors to their home countries. The overall goal should be to process family units within five to seven days, the working group concluded.
“Anyone who has been to South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley knows that the men and women of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection are doing a remarkable job, but they are stretched thin with the massive surge of children crossing the border, and the quickest way to provide relief is by deploying the National Guard,” Granger said. “The National Guard would also assist with the humanitarian care and needs of the unaccompanied minors, which will free up the border patrol to focus on their primary mission.”
The working group also suggested that the Department of Homeland Security develop a strategy to gain operational control of the border and that a third-party commission be established to develop border security metrics. Additionally, it recommended tweaks to a law that outlines processing protocols for some illegal immigrant children.
“The recommendation to amend the Trafficking Victims Protection and Reauthorization Act of 2008 is something both parties agree on and modifications to the law can be done to expedite the process while ensuring proper protections are in place for the children who need them,” Granger said. “We recommend amending the 2008 law so that all unaccompanied minors are treated the same for the purpose of removal. This would be done by requiring unaccompanied minors who do not wish to be voluntarily returned to their home country to remain in (the Department of) Health and Human Services’ custody while they await an expedited immigration court hearing that must promptly occur after they are screened by child welfare officials.”