Another victory for those who’d snuff out the beacon on the Statute of Liberty:

Arkansas complaints and a change in presidential administration have prompted the end of a plan to use a vacant Job Corps facility in Garland County as a temporary shelter for refugee children, many of whom have endured unspeakable home lives and travel to try to reach family and/or simple safety in the United States.

Advertisement

U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman is quite proud of his work  in keeping these desperate children out of a rural facility near Royal that once had been used to train U.S. kids with some often difficult pasts trying to better themselves. His release:

Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) issued the following statement Wednesday (March 8) upon notification by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that it would no longer seek use of the former Job Corps center in Royal to house unaccompanied minors:

“I am pleased the Department of Health and Human Services listened to the concerns of Garland County residents and local officials,” Westerman said. “This plan by the Obama Administration was ill-conceived and did not take seriously the protests of residents, myself included. I thank my friend, Secretary Tom Price, for his quick action to stop use of this site as a shelter for unaccompanied minors.”

On Wednesday, March 8, HHS sent the following notification to Westerman:

As you know, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at HHS is identifying capacity, should it need to expand, to provide shelter for unaccompanied children referred to its care by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Aggressive management of shelter capacity is a prudent step to ensure that ORR is able to meet its responsibility, by law, to provide shelter for Unaccompanied Children so that the US Border Patrol can continue its vital national security mission to prevent illegal migration, trafficking, and protect the borders of the United States.

This email is to update you on the potential use of the vacant Ouachita Job Corps facilities located in Royal, Arkansas as a temporary shelter for unaccompanied children. Upon further review of the facilities, resources available and need, HHS is no longer considering the site for use as a temporary shelter at this time.

The demand for space has exceeded the supply. They’ll have to go somewhere. Perhaps a blue state with more charity

Advertisement

If you have a beating heart, I’d urge a re-read of Ernest Dumas’ column on the subject. He found it too reminiscent of the internment of American citizens in Arkansas during World War II on account of their ancestry.

It had not occurred to me before today that we had become such a fearful people that lonely children, unarmed ones to boot, would be a threat to community harmony. 

Congratulations on your great victory, Congressman Westerman. And, also to Sen. Tom Cotton, who also whipped up hysteria about the dangers of little people, sometimes rape victims, from the dangerous streets of Central America. Cotton’s statement said this decision will keep Arkansas safe. Really.

Advertisement

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article Guns blaze again in committee, but no progress on campus carry Next article Senate approves expanded grocery store wine sales, bill goes to governor