FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2014   

Hudson: Reunite Unaccompanied Children with their Families in their Home Country

WASHINGTON- Today, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08) released the following statement after cosponsoring The Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2014 (H.R. 5053) to update current immigration law and enable the tens of thousands of unaccompanied children currently detained after illegally crossing our southern border to be returned quickly and promptly to their families in Central America.

“While the White House continues to claim that border security is at its strongest in history, tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors have illegally crossed our southern border this year. My heart breaks for these children who are forced to trek hundreds of miles while being subjected to unimaginable hardships and abuse. It is imperative that we reunite them with their families in their home countries to ensure their safety and discourage other unaccompanied minors from enduring this dangerous journey. This legislation would allow us to quickly return these children home to their families, sending a clear signal that those who arrive here illegally will not be allowed to stay. As Congress debates a long-term solution to end this crisis, I will continue to focus on securing our borders first.” 

Under the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, Unaccompanied Alien Children (UACs) from nations not contiguous with the United States are required to undergo deportation hearings before returning home to their families. The thousands of unaccompanied Central American children who recently crossed our borders illegally are being faced with immigration courts and hearings that could potentially force them to live without their families for years.     

The Expedited Family Reunification Act of 2014 (H.R. 5053) will update our policy to include unaccompanied children from Central America in addition to those states with a contiguous border. It will allow immigration officials to treat children from Central America the exact same as unaccompanied minors from Mexico and Canada and send them back to their country of origin to reunite with their families.

###