Unaccompanied Children

Frequently Asked Questions from the Community

June 2014

The Office of Refugee Resettlement in the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services operates about 100
short-term shelters throughout the United States for children who enter the country without their
parent. These shelters are consistently quiet and good neighbors in the communities where they are
located. Recently, because of a large increase in the number of unaccompanied children crossing the
border, we have had to quickly open temporary shelters to meet the needs of this vulnerable
population.

Below are some of the questions that community members have frequently, and understandably, asked.

Q: How do these temporary shelters affect our community?
A: The impact on the local community is minimal. HHS pays for and provides all services for the children
through its network of grantees. This includes providing food, clothing, education and medical screening
to the children. All activities, including outdoor recreation time, take place on the grounds of the
temporary facilities. Children do not attend local schools. Communities may see some increased
economic activity associated with the support required to operate these facilities.

Q: Do these children pose a health risk?
A: When children come into the HHS program, they are given a well-child exam and given all needed
childhood vaccinations to protect against communicable diseases. They are also screened for
tuberculosis, and receive a mental health exam. If children are determined to have any communicable
disease or have been exposed to a communicable disease, they are placed in a program or facility that
has the capacity to quarantine. If they have behavioral health concerns, they are similarly placed in a
specialized facility to meet their needs and not in a temporary shelter.

Q: Is our community safe with these kids in it? There are rumors that some of these kids are gang
members.
A: Many of these children are fleeing violent situations in their home country and choose to leave rather
than join a gang. They endure a long and dangerous journey to reach the border. When they are placed
in an ORR facility, they are, as a rule, relieved to be in a safe and caring environment where they can
wait to be placed with an appropriate sponsor, such as a parent or family member, to arrive to take
custody, pending outcome of the immigration legal process.

When at the temporary shelters, the children do not leave the grounds until they have been placed with
a sponsor. These sponsors are most often family members and do not reside in the area of the
temporary shelter.

HHS is coordinating the security posture with DHS's Federal Protective Service, the organization
responsible for providing law enforcement and security services for properties owned or leased by the
General Services Administration. Federal law enforcement officers will be on site, along with a
contracted security force.


Q: How long do the kids stay in the temporary shelter?
A: The average stay is less than 35 days.

Q: How can the community help?
A: In response to this humanitarian effort, members of the public have expressed interest in donating to
help unaccompanied children who recently have entered the United States from Central America. The
Federal agencies supporting these facilities are unable to accept donations or volunteers to assist the
unaccompanied children program. Several refugee resettlement non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) in the U.S. are accepting monetary donations and, in some cases, experienced volunteers to
assist incoming refugee families, although not specifically unaccompanied children, in support of the
effort of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program at the State Department. Information, by state, for
refugee resettlement NGOs can be found at the State Departments Refugee Processing Center (RPC)
webpage at http://www.wrapsnet.org/Home/RPAgencyContacts or the HHS Office of Refugee
Resettlement (ORR) webpage at www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/state-programs-annual-overview.

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