United States

Sabine Creek Ranch Prepares for Undocumented Children

The arrival of 200 undocumented immigrant children set to arrive in Rockwall County has been delayed.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services now expects the teens to arrive at Sabine Ranch this weekend.

Crews at Sabine Creek Ranch spent most of Friday preparing the camp for the kids' arrival, including equipment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The federal government is paying for local law enforcement, security as well as operational and medical staffing.

The director of the ranch, Eddie Walker, said a total of 100 adult supervisors, including nurses and counselors, will stay at the camp for the duration of the operation.

The Central American teens were detained by Border Patrol for crossing the border into the U.S. illegally.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is in charge of this temporary shelter which will house the kids for 21 days.

The topic of immigration is always a controversial one. While some don’t agree with illegal immigration at all, there are others who see what’s happening and understand.

"They're overcrowded down in South Texas, so they (undocumented teens) have to be somewhere,” said Kathy Anderson who lives across the street from the camp. “They have to be housed somewhere."

Walker said while he’s received many calls of people wanting to help and donate to the children, he’s also received hateful calls.

He wants the public to know he is not helping in this effort out of a political agenda, but one of compassion for the kids.

The immigrants are between the ages of 12 and 17 and will be guarded 24 hours a day by federal agents.

The government said some of the kids will be placed with relatives already in the U.S. while they await an immigration hearing, others will be sent to their country of origin.

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