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Orange County supervisors approved a resolution Tuesday to prepare for a surge in children left without parents due to increased immigration.
The board voted 4-1 for a resolution led by supervisor Vicente Salmiento and Orange County Board Chairman Doug Chaffey. Supervisor Janet Nuguen cast the only vote.
Sarmiento said the drive for the resolution stems from inquiries from local school officials about what is being done to plan a potential increase in the number of neglected children.
The resolution “clears clear that we are standing if we serve and our parents are deported,” Sarmiento said.
“It’s not intended to create new rights or privileges,” Sarmiento said. “In fact, it recognizes existing rights.”
Sarmiento said that children with one or both parents in the country illegally “living with fear.”
He added that “the rights of these children cannot be eroded due to the status of parents’ immigration.”
If there is an increase in deported parents, it will affect the county’s social services agency.
Social Services Agency Director Tran told the supervisor that when a child is left without a parent, staff members are trying to find relatives who can become guardians. If that plan fails, they are located at an Orangewood facility as they continue to seek other options, including foster parents.
Nguyen asked Tran how many cases the county has recorded a record of children abandoned due to deportation over the past decade, and Tran said there is nothing.
Supervisor Don Wagner said the children left without parents “occurring often” due to arrests and other circumstances.
Wagner also questioned how much money the county must spend on reviewing issues to decide how to plan it when it comes to a “strict budget cycle.”
Supervisor Katrina Foley raised the issue of “caregiver approval” and court-approved guardianship. She said many parents acknowledge that allowing another adult to be a caregiver is sufficient under the circumstances, but she questioned that.
Foley said there are around 25,000 children in the county with at least one undocumented parent, adding, “We can’t handle 25,000 children.”
Foley said residents should be given “clear information” about the need for guardianship.
Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday to recover from 11am to 5pm at the Orange County Animal Care Shelter and confirm the feasibility of evening hours until 7pm on the day.
County officials also return the program to see how other counties handle TRAP castration and consider one of their counties.
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