Led by First Focus on Children and Children’s Defense Fund Texas, 70 organizations sent the following letter urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to withdraw an executive order directing the state to remove licenses from children’s shelters that serve unaccompanied children and support the health and safety of all children.
Excerpt from the Letter:
Since last fall, you have expressed concern for the safety and well-being of arriving children, calling on the Biden administration to “act now to keep these children safe.” We share your desire to keep children safe, as do the American people. In a poll published in April, the majority of Americans agreed that the federal government’s highest immigration priority should be to provide safe treatment for unaccompanied children at the border. The American people also agree that every policy should be governed by a “best interest of the child” standard. While we firmly believe that our organizations and your office share the same goal, the May 31 proclamation could disrupt children’s care by state-licensed Texas providers, put children at risk of harm, and deny them the safety and support that every child in Texas should have.