COLLIN COUNTY RESIDENTS VOICE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE PROPER ROLE OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN PROVIDING TEMPORARY HOUSING AND CARE FOR MIGRANT CHILDREN PLANO, TEXAS - JULY 28, 2014: Residents of Collin County filled Commissioners Court today to hear and participate in over two hours of public testimony regarding Collin Countys possible role in providing temporary housing for unaccompanied minor children coming to Texas from Central America. The draft resolution, intended to engage the Court in deliberations that would result in a public statement of the Courts position on the question, generated significant media and public interest. The result has been impassioned public dialogue since last Thursday. Todays speakers continued with civil and constructive comments. I know how hard it is not only to make time to attend Court, but also to stand in front of a crowded room and express deeply held beliefs about this tragic situation on our southern boarder. I applaud everyones effort and respect everyones comments, even if we disagree. This is how government is supposed to work. Todays testimony did not change my fundamental perspective on the proper role of county government, but it did help me realize the need to clarify points in the resolution originally proposed. The intent of the resolution is to define Collin Countys view of the proper role of county government in providing temporary housing and care for these children. It is not to deny them that care. My heart goes out to these children and their families, but as Collin County Republican Party Chairman, George Flint, said today in his testimony before the Court What is in question here is the role of government ... The government is in charge of enforcing the law. The government is not in charge of substituting itself for the church ... It is the church that is called to help these children and the government should not interfere with that calling. Following, is a revised version of the resolution that I will submit for consideration by the court on Monday, August 4th. Please remember that this language is a starting point for the discussion that must, by law, be conducted in public, even if the sensitive nature of the subject makes public debate challenging. The Proper Role of County Government in Providing Temporary Housing and Care for Migrant Children WHEREAS, the federal government has failed to defend the sovereign borders of the United States and Texas, allowing massive numbers of unaccompanied minor children to enter the country illegally; and WHEREAS, such migration places these minor children at significant risk of the most egregious violence and injury and therefore must be discouraged; and WHEREAS, these current events place untenable burdens on law enforcement, public health services, social services, public education and other civic services, resulting in a long term impact of incalculable proportions; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OF COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS that the housing of minor children, whether designated as a refugee or otherwise, is not a core function of county government. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that County agencies are hereby directed to deny requests or directives to process or house these children, except for the core functions of law enforcement, health care services, and child protective services. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Court directs all appropriate Collin County health care agencies to screen and isolate these minor children as medically necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of both the children and the citizens of Collin County. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Court applauds efforts by private charitable and faith based organizations to provide food, shelter, clothing, education and other care while these minor children await disposition by federal immigration authorities. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Court urges our state and federal legislators and other elected officials to take prompt action to end the influx of foreign citizens entering this country illegally, and to cease the relocation of these individuals into communities across the State of Texas and elsewhere within the United States. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Court calls on the state and federal government to: (1) enforce existing immigration laws and provide additional resources for new and existing Border Patrol checkpoints, employing a continuous physical barrier where strategically prudent; (2) enforce and enhance smuggling and human trafficking laws, and provide civil liberty protections for land owners against criminal trespassers; (3) abolish any and all state-controlled and sponsored incentives that exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration, such as (but not limited to) applicable in-state tuition subsidies, welfare benefits and free non-emergency health care for foreign citizens in this country illegally, and (4) prohibit sanctuary cities which restrict law enforcement from determining the immigration status of detainees after the commission of a crime. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE COMMISSIONERS COURT OF COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS calls on other communities and jurisdictions to join with us in this action by passing similar resolutions. Paid for by the Mark Reid - County Commissioner
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 13:04:52 +0000
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