PW Says Illegal Alien Children Are Not Utilizing County Resources

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Recently, Prince William County government received word that the illegal alien children sheltered at Youth for Tomorrow in Bristow as part of their Unaccompanied Minor Program are not utilizing county resources, such as attending county schools. Two weeks ago, the Board of  County Supervisors gave County Executive Melissa Peacor a directive to inquire about the housing of illegal alien children from the Federal Government and Youth for Tomorrow. Jason Grant, Communications Director for Prince William County, released information today to Bristow Beat, which the county had received in response to their inquiry. “We had a conversation with Dr. Gary Jones (CEO of YFT),” said Grant, “and he was able to provide some general information, but specific questions about the children must be answered by the Federal Health and Human Services Department /Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee and Resettlement.” According to Grant, the county learned:
  • YFT has been participating in the Unaccompanied Alien Minor Children program for 23 months (since June 2012) and has had hundreds of children through that program.
  • During that time, there have been no runaways and no contagions.
  • No local funds, no state funds, no Medicaid funds are being used to support these children and there are no plans to ask for services from the local government of any kind.
  • These children stay on average for 35 days; that has been confirmed by HHS and reported in the Washington Post.
  • All children staying at YFT receive a medical exam and all inoculations within 36 hours of arrival paid for by the Federal Government.
  • If the children attend school, they do so at YFT in their facilities.  None of these children would be attending our local schools.
Federal Health and Human Services Response: “We spoke with Gary Hunt, Policy Advisor for the Federal Health and Human Services Department /Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee and Resettlement,” said Grant. This is what county staff learned from Hunt, according to Grant:
  • There are currently 80 children at YFT as part of this program.
  • The program has been in place for two years.
  • The children stay on average 35 days.
  • There are no other UIAC programs in PWC.
While Prince William County may not be paying for the children's shelter or education, some still feel the housing of illegal immigrant children sends the wrong message and encourages more people to send their children over the border, which is becoming a national concern.
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