Posted on 07/03/2014 2:08:51 PM PDT by Vigilanteman
HAZLETON — The crisis of unaccompanied children streaming across the nation’s southern border from Mexico and Central America has gone from 2,000 miles away to downtown Hazleton, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta said during a press conference Monday morning.
Mr. Barletta, R-11, Hazleton, will be traveling to McAllen, Texas, to see the problem firsthand and seek answers to questions regarding the children’s status, medical conditions and where they will be housed when released by U.S. border patrol agents.
“We’re not talking about housing unaccompanied children at some military installation in Texas,” he said. “There are people looking into housing them right here in our communities, and in towns just like this one, possibly all over America.”
Inquiries about the former MinSec and CEC corrections facility in the Altamont Building in downtown Hazleton have been made by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, said Mr. Barletta. The agency works with the Department of Health and Human Services, tasked with placing the children in detention centers.
Sean McDougall of MinSec Properties said he didn’t think the facility was coming to Hazleton and said to his knowledge MinSec received no letter of intent.
Mr. Barletta said he has reached out to city officials about the inquiry, and intends to get answers on a federal level before facilities in communities such as Hazleton are used as detention centers.
When he tours the border this week, Mr. Barletta said he will be asking about health screenings.
“What assurances do we have that the minors being transported to communities within the United States are not carrying contagious diseases?” the congressman said. “What background checks are being done? And where in America will they be housed?”
National security is also a concern, he said, as the drug cartels and terrorist groups could use the crisis at the border to infiltrate the country. Even those children, some of whom are teenagers, could be older and involved in these groups.
Those entering the country seek to stay temporarily in the United States before deportation proceedings, Mr. Barletta said.
“From there, of course, they plan to just fade into the fabric of our neighborhoods,” he said. “I have grave concerns about the risks to our national security resulting from this growing problem.”
Obama Admin Drop Houses popping up everywhere
Look for the GOP-e to attempt to primary him in 2016.
Any building used by the refugees will take lots of money and effort to refurbish. It will be trashed and possibly infected with hazardous bacteria.
Shouldn’t Clown Prince nobama be arrested for illegally transporting minors across borders? Especially since many are being sexually and otherwise abused.
How much more crap can the American people take? It’s one Obama created POS situation followed by another worse than the one preceding it and on and on . . .
The GOPe been sandbagging Barletta before Tea Party existed
While he was mayor, he led Hazelton to become one of the first cities to crack down on Illegal Alienism.....then the Fed Courts overturned everything
Just as well face it ,Obama is going to win this ,when he scatters these Illegals there is no way to remove them ,all records of where they go will be destroyed
“There are people looking into housing them right here in our communities, and in towns just like this one, possibly all over America.”
What could possibly go wrong?
How about the MEXICAN EMBASSY??????
Stuff them all in there and wall it up around them.
When are we going to STOP this charade, and stop being abused as a country? We are ALL battered wives and children now...
Lou Barletta’s congressional candidacy was approved by the GOPe in Pennsylvania as in Chairman Rob Gleason.
Barletta pushed a housing ordinance as mayor of Hazelton, it got into federal court and got thrown out like SB 1070 did in AZ.
Barletta used it to advance his political career, not to decisively oppose illegal immigration.
Barletta was one of several PA congressman who were critical
of Ted Cruz’s fight against implementation of Obamacare last fall when he stood up to stop the budget from going through.
BARLETTA ISN’T A REAL CONSERVATIVE LIKE CRUZ.
I suspect Obama and Co. are paying him back anyway for making noise about illegal immigration by dumping in his district.
Smells like payback time to Mayor Lou.
I agree with you 110% (kinda like a RAT voting precinct).
Illegal entry = summary deportation, not federally imposed settlement throughout the States.
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