Obama gets blame, but 2008 bill set procedures for dealing with young illegal immigrants shares email

The building where young illegal immigrants are housed is shown June 12 before their arrival last month at Fort Sill. The barracks eventually could house up to 1,200 young immigrants from Central America. PHOTO BY PAUL HELLSTERN, THE OKLAHOMAN

Procedures for helping young unaccompanied illegal immigrants are based in part on legislation approved by Congress in 2008, yet some lawmakers who did not object to the measure then are against the procedures now. Gov. Mary Fallin and Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, were members of the U.S. House when the bill passed without objection. The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 also passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The act was mainly intended to help human trafficking victims, but one part had provisions for unaccompanied illegal immigrants under age 18.