About 800 border children headed to North Texas

WAXAHACHIE, Texas - About 800 children from Central America caught at the border will begin arriving in North Texas on Thursday.

They are some of the more than 5,600 unaccompanied children caught at the Texas, Arizona and California borders last month.

Rockwall County says 300 illegal immigrant children between the ages of 12 and 18 are headed there. They will spend a maximum of three weeks at the Sabine Creek Ranch, a retreat center and camp in Royse City.  

Health and Human Services told Rockwall County that the federal government is making sure the children are cared for and safe. None of the minors will attend any schools in the county

About 500 Guatemalan children between the ages of 12 and 15 are headed to Ellis County.

Their care and security is also being taken care of by the federal government, but county officials said the government just told them about the plan Wednesday morning.

“These are folks that have evidently crossed our border unlawfully. They’re in effect illegal immigrants. They’re young. We want to be compassionate, but at the same time we need to be a little bit concerned. These young people are coming from a failed social situation. So what habits have they learned? And who’s going to pick up the bill. And that’s a big concern because there needs to be some security involved. We have public safety issues involved,” said Paul Perry, an Ellis County commissioner.

The minors will be staying at a church camp.