Long Beach Area State Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair of Sac'to Latino Legislative Caucus, Backs Continued Fed'l Resources To Handle Influx Of Illegally Entered Young People At Port Hueneme Military Base
Sen. Lara, who chairs the Latino Legislaive Caucus joined in a July 8 press event at the facility, which is a converted warehouse at the Port Hueneme Naval Base.
On his Facebook page, Senator Lara wrote yesterday (July 8):
The Obama administration recently asked Congress to appropriate $3.7 billion dollars for handle the influx of young people who basically walked into the U.S. notwithstanding U.S. laws forbidding their entry in that manner.
Critics charge that the Obama administration effectively encouraged the arrivals and is now downplaying public health risks in transporting, housing and caring for those who will ultimately be released to third parties among the general population. Critics say the federal government lacks the ability to oversee their presence or, as some advocate, send them home. Others say the situation demonstrates the federal government's failure (by both political parties after 9/11) to put basic entry security in place across the country's southern border.
Further as it develops.
(July 9, 2014) -- State Senator Ricardo Lara (D, Long Beach/Huntington Park) was among a group of Sacramento lawmakers backing the continued use of federal resources to handle part of the influx of children who entered the U.S. without parents by crossing the country's unsecured southern border illegally and are now being housed/cared-for at the Port Hueneme military base
Photo source; Sen. Lara Facebook page
[first dispatch] Today, I visited Naval Base Ventura County with members of the Latino Caucus and Speaker Toni Atkins to check on the refugee children from Central America. We were satisfied with the facilities but good facilities won't erase the painful realities that many of these children are fleeing from. We need to ensure these children have access to legal representation, develop a comprehensive strategy to combat gang warfare south of the border, and assist Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua to keep their communities safe and provide real opportunities for their youth.
[second dispatch] The time to act is now. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, these children deserve dignity and due process. They are victims of a on going drug/gang war in Central America which we help create.
