Washington (March 20, 2020) – Today, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) requested information from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) on the plans and procedures it has in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to children in ORR-funded facilities. It has been reported today that a staff member at a New York facility housing unaccompanied immigrant children has tested positive for the coronavirus.
In Fiscal Year 2019, the Department of Homeland Security referred almost 70,000 unaccompanied children (UACs) to ORR to be placed in its care. These children are a uniquely vulnerable population, who do not have parents or guardians in the United States. Congress and federal courts have mandated that ORR must meet particular standards for the care and treatment of children in its custody. Among other obligations, care providers funded by ORR must give UACs routine medical care, have written safety plans that address medical emergencies and disease outbreaks, and meet all state and local requirements for licensing and public health. It is critical that, during this outbreak, facilities under ORR’s purview satisfy these obligations.
“Among other obligations, care providers funded by ORR must give UACs routine medical care, have written safety plans that address medical emergencies and disease outbreaks, and meet all state and local requirements for licensing and public health. It is our responsibility to effectively limit exposure to this disease and prepare to manage outbreaks of COVID-19,” writes Senator Markey to Assistant Secretary Lynn Johnson in his letter. “This responsibility is especially serious when it comes to the care of vulnerable children.”
A copy of Senator Markey’s letter can be found HERE.
Senator Markey is seeking answers to several questions that include:
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