Jonathan Starkey

The News Journal

The federal government has placed 117 children who illegally immigrated alone into the U.S. with families in Delaware, Gov. Jack Markell told lawmakers in a letter on Thursday.

Markell, who previously said that Delaware had no facilities that could accommodate children illegally migrating alone to the U.S., also urged lawmakers to "remain mindful that we are called upon to provide for the least of our brothers and sisters."

He called the U.S. a "nation of immigrants," saying "the humanitarian crisis of unaccompanied minors fleeing dangerous situations at home does not just affect our border states; it impacts all of us as Americans. Whatever one's politics, we are a nation of immigrants."

In his letter, Markell said that his administration was prepared to work with nonprofits to ensure that child migrants who need services have their basic needs met, saying the presence of child migrants in Delaware may come at a cost for state taxpayers.

He said the children may enroll in Delaware schools while awaiting immigration processing, "as immigrant children ordinarily do." Markell said the Obama administration does not pay for food, clothing or the education of minors placed with families.

"I believe that the federal government should ensure that the children being placed with Delaware families are placed into safe environments and are receiving the services they need, including medical care," Markell wrote. "The education and other services come at a cost for the state, school districts and non-profit providers and I am asking federal officials to work with states to cover those costs and ensure that these children receive appropriate care."

Markell said the number of children currently housed in Delaware was provided by the Obama administration, and were accurate as of Tuesday. He did not specify in the letter whether the minors, who came across the southern border of the U.S. unaccompanied by their parents, were placed with members of their own family.

The letter noted generally that many unaccompanied minors "are placed with families they know in our country – preferably with close relatives." The federal government does not disclose the identity or location of families housing child migrants to protect their privacy of the families and the children, Markell said in his letter.

Markell said he wrote the letter to lawmakers after his office fielded "numerous requests" for information about the immigration crisis from members of the General Assembly. It was addressed to members of the leadership of both parties in the Legislature.

Senate Minority Whip Greg Lavelle, R-Sharpley, who had questioned Markell about whether child migrants would be housed in Delaware, read the letter late Thursday and could not comment on the details.

"I'm glad he's informing Delaware," said Lavelle, who had publicly expressed concern about the cost to provide services to child migrants housed here. "I think there are still unanswered questions. I think it would be nice to hear from our federal delegation."

House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, a Rehoboth Democrat, said he received Markell's letter but hadn't read it.

More than 57,000 children have entered the U.S. illegally since Oct. 1, mostly from three Central American countries: Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, Markell said in his letter. Twenty percent of the child migrants are 12 years old or younger.

"Unfortunately, the debate around immigration has been marked too often by scare-mongering and xenophobia," Markell wrote. "I know you share my view that, in Delaware, that is not how we approach problems. If we can provide help, shelter and respite to these unaccompanied children, we will do so and remain mindful that we are called upon to provide for the least of our brothers and sisters."

Markell said in his letter that the Obama administration has taken steps to address the flow of immigrants crossing the southern border.

The average time to deport unaccompanied adults illegally crossing the border has been reduced from 33 days to 4 days, and 3,500 immigrants are being returned to Central America weekly, Markell wrote.

Markell was first emailed on July 2 by an official in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requesting help in housing child migrants crossing into the U.S. alone.

Markell said in Thursday's letter that the Obama administration reached out to many states seeking assistance. The Health department required, however, that shelter be provided by an entity licensed to provide residential services to kids with an array of services.

Markell said his administration is "not aware of licensed residential facilities in Delaware prepared to provide the required shelter and wrap-around services to a significant number of minors."

That's partly, Markell said, because Delaware relies on foster care to meet the needs of the majority of children in state custody, as opposed to group residential settings.

Contact Jonathan Starkey at 983-6756, on Twitter @jwstarkey or at jstarkey@delawareonline.com.