Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Tours Facility Holding Unaccompanied Refugee Youth from Central America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Evan McLaughlin
Phone: (619) 850-2790

OXNARD, CA – (Tuesday, July 8, 2014) – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, participated with other members of the California Latino Legislative Caucus to tour and observe a facility housing hundreds of unaccompanied  Central American refugee youth at Naval Base Ventura County. Assemblywoman Gonzalez made the following statement in response to her observations:

“Today, I had the opportunity to tour the Ventura County facility for unaccompanied refugee youth from Central America.

“I was pleased to see clean, adequate dorms and even happier to see content, well-behaved children – learning English and exercising – awaiting reunification with their parents and families in the United States. The Ventura County facility is just for 13- to 17-year-old youths who have a family member or sponsor already identified in the United States. I remain concerned about the younger children who can’t communicate their situation as easily and the youth who have come fleeing violent circumstances in their native country without a family here.

“The youth housed at the Ventura County facility are processed quickly, about two weeks in and out. The 575 kids we saw today, and others like them, should have the opportunity for due process in immigration court and not just be immediately deported. I’m hopeful our President will require the federal government to continue to abide by the 2008 law that processes these refugee youths in a manner that includes this due process.”


To interview Assemblywoman about her experience at the Ventura County facility or about the unaccompanied refugee youth from Central America, please contact Chief of Staff Evan McLaughlin at (619) 850-2790.

Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez represents the 80th Assembly District, which includes Chula Vista, National City and the San Diego neighborhoods of City Heights, Barrio Logan, Paradise Hills, San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, and serves as Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Women and the Workplace. For more information, visit http://asmdc.org/members/a80/ .

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