Press Release
Posted:
Vallejo – Today Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) released the following statement after visiting a Health and Human Services (HHS) facility in Pleasant Hill for immigrant minors.
“Today, after demanding additional information from HHS about separated families, we visited a facility in our region. While the facility had high standards for children located there, we have said over and over that no level of care at these facilities can make up for the fact that children are subjected to the harmful and lasting trauma of being separated from their families. What’s more, most of the children at this facility are not the kids separated from their parents about whom we are demanding more information. We need answers – HHS and the Department of Homeland Security must allow us to obtain more information about separated families, present their plan for reuniting families as efficiently as possible, and further outline the progress of this effort as it continues.”
Thompson had previously followed the HHS-prescribed protocols to schedule a visit to this and other facilities in the region and his requests were denied. After multiple requests to HHS, the agency reversed course and allowed members of Congress to visit.