Some states have begun to move to accommodate the large number of Central American children alone crossed the American border in recent months while in New York on Tuesday called for at least $ 24 million a year in aid, in Maryland the government provides information families about how to offer children a temporary home.
The mayor of the city of New York, Bill de Blasio, announced Tuesday that city officials will be in court to help migrant children to enroll in schools and offering medical help. It is the first time that the city provides direct services in immigration court.
At the same time, members of aid organizations asked a committee of the New York State Assembly to invest at least $ 24 million of public money to fund local groups that assist children with medical, mental health, recreation and education.
"These children are likely to be long-term residents of the state of New York," said Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Catholic Charities, New Yorkers legislators. "Please invest in these children so that we can secure their future," he added.
At least 66,000 children who crossed the border illegally without her parents were arrested between October 2013 to August this year, according to official data. New York is the second state that has received more minor after Texas, with 4,244 Central American children who came from the first of January to the end of July. Maryland is also one of the regions that has received 2,800 until the end of July.
Most children fleeing violence and poverty comes from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.
De Blasio said Tuesday that officials from the departments of Education and Health are in immigration court in Manhattan to inform children about learning programs free English, and to enroll in a public program for children's health insurance called Child Health Plus.
The city has formed a coalition of several of its agencies to deal with the arrival of children but so far has not invested specific funds to help them. Officials have identified the neighborhoods in which they live and attend schools to connect with legal and medical assistance, including vaccinations.
"These kids have come here because they have families and benefactors in the city of New York and it is our responsibility to offer assistance," De Blasio said in a statement. "States and municipalities should do everything possible to help their immigrant communities and we hope that the response of the city of New York help to shape a more humane approach to all these new lists of cases of children in the courts, to offer stability and security. "
Immigration status with possibilities
On the other hand, two thirds of the children who come to New York qualify for asylum or special immigrant juvenile status (Special Immigrant Juvenile Status), as activists said Sullivan. This latter category may benefit those under 21 who have been abused, neglected or abandoned.
Several lawyers representing the children asked lawmakers Tuesday to the state Assembly to invest more time in getting lawyers and barely enough in immigration court. They also called mental health specialists who speak Spanish because children sometimes have cases of trauma due to the hardships they went across the border or in their home countries.
Approximately 1,350 children who crossed the border alone and illegally in recent months have been sent to live with relatives in the city of New York: 587 lives in Queens, 362 in Brooklyn, 347 in the Bronx, 54 in Manhattan and the rest in Staten Island, according to city data.
In Maryland officials announced Wednesday several new features that state resources for families and groups interested in helping children. The Internet portal of the state government now reports on how to adopt temporarily.
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