Norton to Meet Monday with Latino Leaders to Update Needed Action on Unaccompanied Central American Children and Families in D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will meet with her Congressional Latino Council (CLC) and other District of Columbia Latino leaders to update needed action concerning the state of unaccompanied children in the District on Monday, June 1, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. in her congressional office. Last July, Norton held an emergency meeting with the CLC and other key District Latino leaders as the surge of unaccompanied minors began crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Last October, Norton hosted a roundtable at Carlos Rosario International Public School featuring officials and families on the crisis of unaccompanied minors.

"As of March this year, over 9,000 Central American children have been released to family members who reside in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, 500 of whom now reside in the District," Norton said. "We want to make sure the city's strong network of organizations is ready to serve these children."

Norton also plans to discuss Tuesday's decision by a federal appeals court to uphold an injunction against President Obama's executive immigration actions, the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability. The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has one of the largest Central American populations in the country. Nearly 60,000 Latinos live in the District, with most residing in Wards 1 and 4.

Norton's Congressional Latino Council consists of representatives from Latino nonprofits in the city, including La Clinica del Pueblo, Carlos Rosario Public Charter School, Latin American Youth Center, Central American Resource Center, President Mary's Center and the Latino Economic Development Center.