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After visiting an Office of Refugee Resettlement site housing asylum-seeking unaccompanied minors in Carrizo Springs, Texas, today, Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), a member of the House Appropriations Committee and State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, released the following statement:

“As a mother, hearing the stories of children who left everything they knew to journey to the United States, fleeing from violence, poverty, and unrest, is heartbreaking. During my time serving as a guardian ad litem before coming to Congress, I had the opportunity to work with unaccompanied minors in foster care, and I am familiar with the immense hardships these children and families endure as they seek asylum and safety here in the U.S.

“I traveled to our southern border today to see firsthand if the children temporarily housed here are being treated safely and with the dignity they deserve. It is our duty to conduct the necessary oversight to ensure that these children are well cared for as they wait to be placed with family members in the U.S. and have their asylum claims processed. After speaking with children at the facility, it is reassuring to see that they are receiving the care they need.

“The children I met told me how glad they were just to be there and be safe. They spoke to me about their experience in the facility and what it meant to now be here and soon be with their family again. One remarked how he wanted to be treated like a human being, not simply judged by where he was coming from.

“I also came to listen and learn how we can implement short-term and long-term policy changes to improve this situation. This is not an issue that arose overnight, and we are not going to fix it overnight. I spoke with officials on the ground and those running the facility, and left with concrete examples of actions to speed up the process so these children do not spend unnecessary time in holding facilities. I will also be working to address the push factors which drive children and families to flee the Northern Triangle countries and seek refuge here through my role on the House Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee.”

Photos from Wexton’s visit can be found here, and a video of Wexton from a press conference held during the visit can be found here.

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