FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2021
SAN PEDRO, Calif. – Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán made the following statement on the announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will lease the Long Beach Convention Center from the City of Long Beach to house unaccompanied migrant children.
The Convention Center will serve as an influx center run by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and HHS for up to 120 days. Federal officials will work with state and local organizations to assist in caring for the children at the facility while working to find the children’s ultimate placement.
“The people of Los Angeles County and the city of Long Beach have a long history of welcoming immigrants and providing them with assistance and opportunity. It makes sense that HHS would look to Long Beach, where immigrants have played a central role in furthering our community.
“These unaccompanied children are fleeing violent crime, hunger, poverty and devastating natural disasters in their home countries. We have both a legal and moral obligation to assist these children through their asylum process and help reunite them with their families already in the United States.
“I stand ready to work with Mayor Garcia, FEMA, HHS and local organizations to ensure that these children are humanely cared for while they are at the convention center.
“Thank you, Mayor Garcia, for your leadership. And thank you, people of Long Beach, for your compassion, generosity and support for these child refugees.
“I look forward to touring the site with Mayor Garcia as soon as possible.”
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Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security.