FIRST ON FOX: North Carolina's Republican congressional delegation says it is “frustrated” by what it describes as a lack of transparency regarding the opening of a migrant facility in the state, arguing that they have been unable to obtain information about its operations.
Lawmakers say in a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra that they were told on March 1 that the Greensboro Influx Care Center, where unaccompanied minors will be housed before being transferred to care from a sponsor, will be operational. March 15th. The letter is led by Rep. Richard Hudson, R.N.C., and also includes signatures from other North Carolina Republicans, including Sen. Thom Tillis, Rep. Virginia Foxx and Sen. Ted Budd.
Unaccompanied children are usually transferred from Border Patrol Custody to the care of HHS when they are encountered at the southern border while moving across the country to be placed in the care of sponsors.
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“Our offices were notified late in the afternoon of Friday, March 1, 2024, despite repeated and outstanding requests for answers regarding plans to bring the facility into operation,” they write. “We are frustrated by this sudden announcement and the [HHS] “Lack of transparency towards Congress and the State of North Carolina regarding this issue.”
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
They say they have requested information about site selection, contracts, services and plans to ensure the well-being of minors, as well as the impact on surrounding areas.
Fox reported in 2022 that the administration had signed a five-year contract to begin leasing the site: an abandoned school. City officials at the time said the site was intended to “do the right thing for these kids.”
But lawmakers say there has been a lack of transparency in response to their queries.
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“While we have continued to press for information about this facility, we have consistently faced significant delays in responses to our queries,” they say.
“This delay and lack of transparency has left us with continued concerns about whether the facility is fit to operate,” they go on to say, adding that one concern is that the facility is being brought online even as who contracts for services changes.
Fox 8 reported that officials have said children will not be housed there immediately, even though it is operational. He reported that HHS had previously told officials in 2022 that people arriving will receive evaluations, medical exams, daily education, counseling, case management, contact with family members and access to legal services. Fox News Digital contacted HHS about the matter.
Lawmakers say they have requested information about site selection, contracts, services and plans to ensure the well-being of minors from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. (Getty Images)
The lawmakers' letter comes amid a furious debate over the three-year crisis at the southern border. The administration has said it needs more funding and comprehensive immigration reform from Congress, including a recent bipartisan Senate bill. Republicans have said it is the government's policies that have increased the number of migrants encountered at the border.
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“It is unacceptable that the Biden administration's failed immigration policies have resulted in a humanitarian crisis for migrants and the need for an ICF. We are particularly concerned about the need for a facility 2,000 miles from the border in North Carolina” , they said. say, calling on the administration to “take action to secure our border and address the unaccompanied minor migration crisis with real solutions.”
Fox News' Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
