Long Island A Popular Landing Spot For Undocumented Children
BAY SHORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Long Island is housing more immigrant children detained at the border than anywhere else in the region.
As WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reported, the latest government figures show that more than 2,200 of the undocumented, unaccompanied minors are now on Long Island.
With 1,181 of the children placed there, Suffolk County ranks third in the nation. Nassau County, with 1,096 kids, ranks fifth, according to the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.
Most of the children are from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala and are said to be fleeing gang violence and poverty.
Newsday reported that some already have received permission to remain in New York legally while others must still face deportation hearings.
While the flow of immigrants has angered some residents, advocates and county officials say the impact on services is negligible, with most of their needs being address by relatives.
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