In response to Austin Interfaith's call to support unaccompanied minors from Central America, Austin City Council passed a resolution officially welcoming the children and calling on the City Manager to collaborate with other governmental entities to identify ways to support children relocating to Austin.  City council also passed a resolution calling on City staff to explore ways of making a municipal ID available, which could provide a valid form of ID for adults currently lacking access to officially recognized identification.  Both resolutions passed unanimously!       

To Help Migrants, Austin Might Offer Services, Issue City ID Cards, Austin American Statesman

Austin Interfaith reported to the Austin American Statesman that the organization teamed up with judges to build a hybrid model that would improve indigent defense.  She lobbied County Commissioners to support the establishment of a defender’s office that would assign lawyers to the cases of poor defendants.  

The first year, Travis County would receive about $700 thousand to establish the new office, which would ensure that indigent defendants would have an opportunity to meet with their lawyers so that they understand their situation before going to trial.

[Photo Credit: Felipa Rodrigues, KUT News]

Travis County Accepts State Funding to Create Private Defender’s Office, Austin American Statesman

Austin Interfaith is calling for an organized, coordinated effort to receive a large number of unaccompanied minors.  This, they say, shouldn’t be political.  For AI strategy team leader Ofelia Zapata, the future of migrant children hits close to home.  She sees the face of her own grandchild when she looks at them.

In a presentation to the Travis County Commissioners Austin Interfaith described the arrival of unaccompanied children a humanitarian crisis that requires a thoughtful and proactive response.  Specifically leaders are calling on the County to coordinate the use of public buildings to temporarily house children before they are sent to relatives or a foster family and wait for their day in immigration court. 

Groups Want to Bring Large Number of Migrant Children to Austin, KXAN

Religious Leaders Push for Relief Center for Unaccompanied Children, FOX 7 News

Religious Groups Ask County for Immigration Aid, Time Warner Cable News

Faith Based Groups Ask Travis County to Help, KEYE TV

Austin Interfaith Urges Travis Officials to Aid Migrant Children, Austin American Statesman

Grupos Religiosos Se Unen Para Ayudar a Undocumentados Que Lleguen a Austin, Telemundo Austin