NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Governor Bill Haslam wants to know why 760 unaccompanied minors, who crossed the border illegally, were sent to Tennessee without the state being told.
Friday, Haslam sent a letter to President Obama, saying, “Not only was our state not informed prior to any of the children being brought here, I still have not been contacted and have no information about these individuals or their sponsors other than what was posted on the HHS website and subsequently reported by media.”
More than 30,000 minors, with an average age of 15, have been sent to numerous states.
It’s estimated as many as 120,000 more minors could cross the border illegally if the trend continues.
In his letter, Haslam went on to say:
Although solving the border crisis is a federal responsibility, this influx of immigrant children could have a significant impact on state and local governments. Therefore, we strongly believe that the state needs to be informed prior to any additional unaccompanied immigrant children being released in Tennessee, and we also need immediate answers to the following questions:
1. What was the process for determining that these children should be released to sponsors in Tennessee?
2. How did you locate and evaluate the fitness of their sponsors?
3. What medical screenings were the children given prior to their release in Tennessee?
4. What is the official immigration status of these children and their sponsors?
5. In what localities are these children now residing?
6. What are the legal requirements concerning the provision of services for these children while they are in the state?
7. What additional information is available on these children, such as age and health status?
8. How long will these children be in Tennessee?
Click here to see the full letter.