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u.s. news Diabierna 4 Juni 2021

Texas push to close shelters for migrant kids alarms groups

(AP) — A move by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to
shutter more than 50 shelters housing about Abbott also has been critical of emergency facilities
4,000 migrant children could seriously disrupt that lack state licenses, which may end up taking in
a national program that already faces strained more children if his order succeeds in shuttering
capacity to properly care for minors crossing smaller shelters.
the U.S.-Mexico border alone.
In April, Texas officials announced they were in-
The U.S. Department of Health and Human vestigating three reports alleging abuse and neglect
Services, which cares for migrant children, said at a San Antonio coliseum holding more than 1,600
Wednesday that it did not intend to close any fa- migrant teens. There also have been abuse or ne-
cilities but that it was “assessing” the Republican glect investigations at state-licensed facilities, and
governor’s late Tuesday disaster declaration. The Texas lists 18 total citations between April and May. With fewer beds in smaller shelters and growing
proclamation directs a state agency to deny or dis- numbers of children crowding U.S. Border Patrol
continue within 90 days licenses for child care fa- Some critics worry the disaster declaration could stations, the Biden administration awarded huge
cilities sheltering migrant children. set a precedent for other Republican governors to contracts to private companies to set up unlicensed
thwart efforts by the Biden administration to in- emergency facilities at convention centers, military
Groups that represent migrant children and re- crease capacity in a network of licensed shelters. bases and other large venues in March. These ven-
unite them with their families said the order could Governors in Iowa and Nebraska have rejected ues resemble hurricane evacuation shelters with
be harmful because it may mean more minors are federal requests to house migrant children, saying little space to play and no privacy, and critics say
sent to mass-scale, unlicensed facilities that attor- they oppose President Joe Biden’s stance on caring the contractors are not equipped to adequately care
neys and advocates say endanger their health and for minors before they are reunited with family in for the minors.
safety. Abbott argues that the federal government the U.S.
can’t force Texas to keep issuing state licenses in Health and Human Services has refused access to
response to a federal problem. “This is a transparent and troubling ploy to politi- news media once children are at the facilities, cit-
cize a humanitarian crisis,” Krish O’Mara Vignara- ing the pandemic and privacy restrictions. Advo-
The U.S. government funds 56 shelters in Texas, jah, head of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee cates and lawmakers who have been allowed to vis-
out of about 200 licensed shelters in the country. Service, said in a statement. “Because Texas-based it have expressed concerns about children’s mental
The last census taken on May 19 showed 4,223 shelters comprise a significant portion of U.S. ca- health at the sites where hundreds can sleep in cots
children in 52 of those state-licensed shelters, ac- pacity, this order could do real damage, and to the in large tents. These facilities require fewer youth
cording to the Texas Health and Human Services serious detriment of children’s well-being.” care workers and clinicians per child and no tradi-
Commission. tional legal oversight, skirting state regulations.
The increasing arrival of migrant children has test-
The agency was directed to remove the licenses ed the Biden administration, with the U.S. govern- The Biden administration has maintained that the
and sent a notice to providers Wednesday telling ment picking up nearly 19,000 children traveling sites provide “lifesaving services” for children, with
them to wind down operations by Aug. 30. alone across the Mexican border in March and officials assuring lawmakers that minors would
more than 17,000 in April. be kept in large-scale settings no more than two
After that date, it says, “if you are still providing weeks, then placed with family in the U.S. or sent
care for individuals who are not lawfully present in The record-setting numbers come as the adminis- to a permanent licensed facility. But some children
the United States under a contract with the federal tration decided to exempt unaccompanied children have been at the large venues much longer.
government, HHSC will take necessary steps to from federal pandemic-related powers to immedi-
comply with the proclamation.” ately expel most migrants from the country with- Doing away with more state-licensed shelters is a
out giving them an opportunity to seek asylum. “wrongheaded approach,” said Wendy Young, pres-
The highly unusual move to order a disaster dec- ident of Kids in Need of Defense, which provides
laration — usually reserved for natural disasters The pandemic also has meant less capacity at small legal services to immigrant children.
or health crises — comes amid Abbott’s criticism and medium-size shelters that care for minors. The
of record numbers of border crossings in recent program lost thousands of beds due to COVID-19 “At a time when the United States needs far more
months. He has increased the presence of the Texas restrictions, bringing down the tally to about 7,100 licensed placement settings for unaccompanied
Department of Public Safety and National Guard by February. migrant children, the order threatens to leave the
in south Texas. nation with far less,” Young said.

Oklahoma jury recommends death for alleged serial killer

(AP) — A jury in Okla- 20 years ago. 1997 kidnapping and killing shortly after her disappear- tors wouldn’t seek the death
homa has recommended of 19-year-old Tiffany John- ance, but the remains of Cain penalty.
a death sentence for an al- The jury on Wednesday rec- ston. Formal sentencing is set and Cox weren’t found until
leged serial killer who was ommended the death pen- for Aug. 19. 2016, when Reece began co- “A promise he couldn’t keep,
convicted of kidnapping alty for William Lewis Reece, operating with prosecutors. but still a promise,” Benedict
a woman from a car wash who was convicted last week Reece did not testify at his said.
and killing her more than of first-degree murder for the trial, but the jury heard re- “We’re all so happy that he
cordings of his confessions to got the death penalty,” said Gay Smither, the mother of
police in which he admitted Johnston’s mother, Kathy 12-year-old Laura Smither,
killing Johnston and three Dobry. traveled to Oklahoma for
other people in Texas, The the trial, Houston TV station
Oklahoman reported. “Even though it helped KPRC reported. Reece still
families in Texas … it was faces charges for her daugh-
Johnston, 20-year-old Kel- for Tiffany,” she said of the ter’s death in Texas.
li Cox, 17-year-old Jessica verdict. “After 24 years, and
Cain and 12-year-old Laura 10 months, this is Tiffany’s “If we don’t have our day in
Smither all disappeared over time.” court in Galveston, we can
a four-month period in 1997, live with it because he’s at
after Reece had been released Reece’s defense attorney, Ja- least held accountable here,”
from an Oklahoma prison for cob Benedict, did not dispute she said. “The most impor-
previous rape and kidnapping that Reece killed Johnston, tant thing is we know now
convictions. but said his client only con- for sure there is absolutely
fessed because a Texas Ranger no way this man will ever get
Smither’s body was found had promised that prosecu- out.”