Congressman Dan Kildee, who represents Michigan's Fifth Congressional District, released a statement on the ongoing crisis of undocumented women and children crossing the U.S. - Mexico border:

“The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have taken preliminary steps to identify potential locations for temporary housing in the event that it is needed to address the influx of undocumented women and children crossing into the U.S. through Mexico. My office has been in routine contact with HHS and FEMA, who will ultimately decide whether or not any temporary housing is needed. They have indicated that no facilities are being currently considered to temporarily house unaccompanied children in the Fifth District.

“Today, the President also requested additional federal resources to help resolve this ongoing and urgent humanitarian situation. I agree with the President that we need to deploy additional immigration judges to speed up court cases of undocumented women and children who are detained at the border so we can process their cases as quickly as possible. Additional federal resources will also allow for the swift removal of those individuals who do not qualify for asylum while ensuring that unaccompanied children will be treated fairly. Faster processing times will also alleviate the need for temporary housing at facilities across the U.S.

“This ongoing humanitarian crisis demonstrates why action on comprehensive immigration reform is long past due in the House of Representatives. The legislation I cosponsored last year has bipartisan support and has already passed the U.S. Senate, yet the bill has been repeatedly denied an up-or-down vote in the House. It is clear that our current immigration system is broken. The bill I have cosponsored is supported by a majority in Congress – Democrats and Republicans – and there is no reason why we cannot have a vote on it immediately.”

 

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