Most Americans don’t know that the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), is responsible for the care of thousands of kids a year who somehow got into the US from a foreign country without a parent or guardian— it is called the “Unaccompanied Alien Children Program.”
Not surprisingly the largest number of such “kids” come from Mexico and Central America. Skeptical readers might wonder if they weren’t dropped off/separated from family on purpose as the largest percentage of the children are in their mid-teens.
One such “unaccompanied minor” now turned 18 is the subject of this editorial in the Galveston Daily News where editor Heber Taylor amuses readers (sort of) with his introduction to the story (emphasis mine):
The federal government owes island residents a better explanation of the strange case of “George,” an 18-year-old Honduran immigrant who came to Galveston under a program operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
George had an exciting time in January.
He was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl who, along with her family, was in a homeless shelter operated by the Children’s Center Inc., a social services agency that has deep roots in Galveston. The organization has been on the island, supported by some of its prominent families, since the 19th century.
George also was involved in the arrest of Terry Bernard, 38, whose girlfriend was convinced George was having sex with her 12-year-old daughter. Bernard told police he used the 12-year-old girl’s cellphone to send a text message to George, inviting him to the park for sex.
About six shots were fired, and Bernard, who apparently was trying to discourage the alleged relationship with the girl, remains jailed on several felony charges and is facing a parole board warrant.
While shots were fired in the park, George was unscathed in that case.
However, George was shot during an unrelated robbery, capping off a busy month.
George’s medical care for the gunshot wound was provided because he had a Medicaid card, something many people would dearly love to have.
George cannot work legally in this country, and it is not clear how he was able to acquire a cellphone and property that was valuable enough to make him a target of an armed robber.
So how did a character like George get to Galveston?
Read on. The answer isn’t clear, but editor Taylor wants Texas readers to write to elected officials in Washington for an explanation!
Taylor raises a point I’ve wondered about too. After the little darlings are cared for with the help of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops which both get federal grants for their “charitable” work—kids are fed, clothed, housed, educated and health care needs met—what happens to them when they turn 18?
They are EMANCIPATED of course! I kid you not, that is the word used in the 2008 ORR Annual Report to Congress (see pages 61-65 for a description of the program) for what happens after the illegal youngsters learn “independent living skills.” So, is that what George was learning at Catholic Charities?
Houston-Galveston Catholic Charities Sex Abuse scandal
Gee, I wonder did “George” learn a few things at this Catholic Charities that was rocked by a sex abuse scandal involving ‘unaccompanied minors’—see the shocking report here last September!
According to the Houston Chronicle story I wrote about, ORR “takes care of” over 6000 such kids a year and half of those are in Texas. (Here is a chart with the top five states with “apprehensions” of minors). I guess when they turn 18 they are just “emancipated” into your towns with there new skills. And, LOL!, they will expect a Texas taxpayer-subsidized college education to boot!