The Office of Personnel Management is seeking additional help to handle the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. In a memo sent to the heads of government agencies, OPM is asking for 120-day “volunteer deployments” to assist border officials.
The deployments will be along the border and beyond, including in Dallas, San Diego, San Antonio and Fort Bliss.
Kathleen McGettigan, acting director of OPM, said the federal agency is partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the Biden administration's "urgent efforts" to care for the unaccompanied migrant children who have crossed into the U.S. through the southern border.
McGettigan said the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) – an office within HHS – needs federal government civilian employees for deployment of up to 120 days to support ORR at facilities for unaccompanied children. (Fox News)
"ORR provides a continuum of care for children, including placements in ORR foster care, shelter, and residential care providers that provide temporary housing and other services to unaccompanied children in ORR custody," McGettigan said, reports Fox News. "ORR and its care providers work to ensure that children are released timely and safely from ORR custody to parents, other family members, or other adults ... who can care for the child's physical and mental well-being.”
How many other government agencies are going to be required to send a “volunteer force” to help @CBP deal with the “non crisis” on the southern border? https://t.co/8zoZOqM4d5
— James O'Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) March 25, 2021
More than 16,000 unaccompanied minors were in U.S. custody as of late last week, but aside from Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar, who has managed to get some photos from inside the border facilities, reporters have been barred from accessing the sites.