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Norton at Roundtable Featuring Central American Children

July 29, 2014

Releases letter to D.C. Bar on pro bono services

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will participate in today's Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) ad hoc hearing at 2:00 p.m. in the House Energy and Commerce Committee room on the influx of Central American unaccompanied minors to the U.S. The District has one of the largest concentrations of Central Americans in the nation, with nearly 60,000 residents from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The CPC's ad hoc hearing features testimony from unaccompanied minors and expert witnesses.

"Already 187 unaccompanied minors from Central America have come to D.C.," Norton said. "The D.C. children have now been discharged from the Unaccompanied Alien Children program and are under the care and supervision of families. Given the District's large concentration of Central Americans and the current surge, I am anxious to learn what we are doing to help these children and their families. I am especially encouraged by the efforts of CPC members who are committed to finding solutions."

To follow up on her meeting with her Congressional Latino Council and other D.C. Latino leaders three weeks ago, Norton sent a letter today to the president of the District of Columbia Bar, Brigida Benitez, inquiring about the Bar's efforts to help address the needs of unaccompanied minors from Central America crossing the U.S. border and being sent to various jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia.

Central American countries have experienced violent unrest, as many regions have succumbed to the reign of transnational gangs and drug cartels. Families and unaccompanied children have fled for the U.S. border seeking humanitarian asylum. Earlier this month, Norton met with D.C. Latino leaders to discuss recommendations on how the District can assist the children. One of the recommendations was inquiring of the Bar about pro bono legal services to help children and families navigate the immigration system.