CHC to Secretary Mattis: Where Are You Planning to House Migrant Children and Families?
Castro Leads Call to Mattis for Congressional Briefing on the Pentagon’s Reported Plans for Housing Migrant Children, Including Details and Timeline
WASHINGTON—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and House Permanent Select Committee, and First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), led a CHC leadership letter to Secretary Mattis calling for him to brief the CHC on the Department of Defense’s plans to use military facilities to house migrant families and children.
Earlier this week, press reports indicated that the Pentagon was planning to build tent camps on U.S. military bases in Texas—Fort Bliss outside of El Paso and Goodfellow Air Force Base near San Angelo—for migrants.
The Members wrote: “As members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we write to request a meeting with you to discuss the Department of Defense’s planned use of military facilities to house immigrant families and children. Specifically, we hope to ascertain: the location of these facilities, how many immigrant children and family members these facilities will hold, the conditions at these facilities, required training and background checks for any individuals with access to facilities that house families and children, and the expected duration families and children will be placed in such facilities.”
“Given the pace at which this situation is developing, we hope to schedule a meeting with you soon to discuss these issues. As we have learned in the last several weeks, an orderly, timely and coordinated response is critical in ensuring the safety and welfare of these children and families,” the Members continued.
The letter was also signed by: Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01); Second Vice Chair Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07); Whip Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31); and Freshman Representative Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13).
Full text of the letter follows and can be found here.
June 27, 2018
The Honorable James N. Mattis
Secretary of Defense
The Pentagon
Washington, DC 22202
Dear Secretary Mattis:
As members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, we write to request a meeting with you to discuss the Department of Defense’s planned use of military facilities to house immigrant families and children. Specifically, we hope to ascertain:
- the location of these facilities,
- how many immigrant children and family members these facilities will hold,
- the conditions at these facilities,
- required training and background checks for any individuals with access to facilities that house families and children, and
- the expected duration families and children will be placed in such facilities.
Given the pace at which this situation is developing, we hope to schedule a meeting with you soon to discuss these issues. As we have learned in the last several weeks, an orderly, timely and coordinated response is critical in ensuring the safety and welfare of these children and families. Thank you for your attention and we look forward to your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Joaquin Castro
First Vice Chair
Michelle Lujan Grisham
Chair
Ruben Gallego
Second Vice Chair
Pete Aguilar
Whip
Adriano Espaillat
Freshman Representative
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