Goodfellow AFB Awaiting Formal Request to House Immigrant Teens

SAN ANGELO, TX -- The federal government’s plan to house up to 7,500 immigrant teens at Goodfellow Air Force Base is complete.  The base is now waiting on an official request from the federal government. Initially, the immigrant teens were supposed to arrive by July 31.  

U.S. Congressman Mike Conaway was in San Angelo Thursday attending the West Texas Legislative Summit.  Conaway said he hasn’t heard anything new concerning the plan.

The Texas Tribune reported this week that the first 4,000 of the 13 to 17 year old children would be housed at Fort Bliss near El Paso, but the Fort Bliss location hasn’t cleared all the federal government requirements yet.  Once that assessment is complete, the department of Health and Human Services could make the formal request to house the immigrants at the military facilities.

Once the formal request is made, Fort Bliss and Goodfellow AFB would then have 45 days to erect the facilities to hold the immigrant children.  The HHS is responsible for foster care for the children, identified as those under 18 years of age who have been separated from their parents or guardians, or have arrived across the border by themselves and without guardians.

As we reported earlier, according to Tom Green County Judge Steve Floyd, Goodfellow AFB will house 1,000 detainees initially expecting an increase to 7,500.  Floyd says they will be 13 to 17 year old unaccompanied males and females. Floyd also said there has been nothing new concerning the plan to house immigrants on the base.

In the meantime, local officials are gearing up to assist the teens if and when they arrive. Bishop Michael Sis, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo, said they are ready to assist the immigrant children.  “The Catholic Church of this area stands willing to assist with the spiritual needs of the residents, and we are also willing to offer any other volunteer charitable services that are allowed by the administrators of the detention center. Our clergy and volunteers are able to communicate with the residents in Spanish.” On June 25, Bishop Sis participated in a prayer vigil on the steps of the Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo. The purpose of the vigil was to pray for those families who have been separated after entering the United States.