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WHEREAS, Orange County, North Carolina, is a compassionate and caring community that is <br /> committed to creating a welcoming atmosphere that values equality and social justice; and <br /> WHEREAS, the number of unaccompanied children and minors from Central American nations <br /> seeking refuge in the United States has dramatically risen over the last three years; and <br /> WHEREAS, the vast majority of the children seeking refuge in the United States are fleeing <br /> extreme violence and poverty, including from Guatemala, EI Salvador, and Honduras; and <br /> WHEREAS, Honduras is the country with the world's highest murder rate, while EI Salvador's <br /> murder rate is the fourth highest in the world; and <br /> WHEREAS, the majority of the children entering the United States are returning to parents or <br /> other family members who are present in the United States, including those children coming to <br /> North Carolina; and <br /> WHEREAS, approximately 1,429 of these children have been placed in North Carolina since <br /> January 2014; and <br /> WHEREAS, those children arriving in our community have the right under the United States <br /> Constitution to equal access to a public education, basic health care, and the protection of law <br /> enforcement; <br /> NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Orange County Board of Commissioners hereby: <br /> • Affirms that Orange County is a welcoming community to children seeking <br /> refuge from violence in their home countries and to the sponsors of these <br /> children; <br /> • Affirms the rights of children to attend public schools and to access basic health <br /> care in the county they reside, without regards to their immigration status; <br /> • Urges our congressional representatives, the Obama Administration, the <br /> Department of Homeland Security, and Governor Pat McCrory to ensure that <br /> the thousands of minors seeking safety within our borders and being <br /> apprehended by Border Patrol receive due process and legal representation in <br /> court hearings; <br /> • Directs the County Manager and all county departments to make services and <br /> resources available to help welcome children into our community who are <br /> seeking refuge from violence in their home countries; <br /> • Encourages continuing collaboration between Orange County and other local <br /> governmental entities and advocacy organizations to support and protect these <br /> children; and <br /> • Directs the Chair of the Board and the Clerk to forward this Resolution to each <br /> of the local governments in Orange County, including both Boards of Education, <br /> and respectfully requests that each consider adopting similar resolutions, and <br /> also forward this resolution to our state legislative delegation, and to the North <br /> Carolina Association of Counties. <br /> Adopted this, the 1 St day of December, 2014. <br /> Doris Brunson said this is an important issue. She noted that many opponents state <br /> that the children are not taxpayers, but she can affirm that no child pays taxes when they are <br /> in school. She said the parents who have taken in these children pay taxes every day. <br /> PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> Sarah Preston is policy director of the ACLU of N.C. She thanked the Board for <br /> considering this resolution and for supporting the children who come to this community fleeing <br />