The Biden Border Crisis at YOUR Doorstep: Unaccompanied Alien Children Released to Sponsors in Hood, Johnson & Parker County
Is YOUR Zip Code on the List?
Previously, we have discussed the breakdown of data released by the New York Times (NYT), thanks to their investigative reporting on the unprecedented and startling number of unaccompanied minors, or unaccompanied alien children (UAC), released to poorly vetted sponsors across Texas and the United States. The information we will be discussing is based on the NYT data, which is broken down by zip code across the United States.
Therefore, given the vastness of the Lone Star State, Alliance for a Safe Texas is committed to disseminating this overwhelming information with utmost accuracy. We believe the best way to do this is by individual Texas County. So far, I have released a detailed breakdown of the data in Tarrant and Dallas Counties, which can be read in our previous substacks here (click here for Tarrant, click here for Dallas). We want to ensure that this information is easily accessible to all, and it may also be found on our website by clicking here.
As a reminder, an unaccompanied minor or UAC is defined by the Office of Refugee Resettlement as a minor who “Has no lawful immigration status in the United States, is under 18 years of age, and has no parent or legal guardian in the United States or no parent or legal guardian in the United States is available to provide care and physical custody.”
This substack will provide a comprehensive breakdown of the stats for Hood, Johnson, and Parker County, ensuring that you have all the necessary information at your disposal.
Background
Why is this information essential to digest? As I have previously stated, “Since 2021, over 400,000 unaccompanied minors have been released to sponsors in the United States. Over 58,000 UACs have been released to sponsors residing in Texas, far more than any other state. These startling numbers have a dramatic impact felt across the state, from increased probability of child trafficking cases across Texas communities to impact on schools, healthcare systems, and the burden to taxpayers.”
Concerns of Trafficking
The concern of exploitation, increased trafficking, and abuse is alarming as the potential human and financial costs are unprecedented, as evidence suggests.
As I have previously stated in prior substacks, “The New York Times recently released data on the UACs which was utilized by the media outlet to investigate allegations of exploitation, abuse, and trafficking of the unprecedented number of minors flooding into the country. As previously mentioned, “Similar to escalated vulnerabilities to trafficking seen with children in the foster care system, it is well-known that unaccompanied minors are at high risk of abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. As I testified to Congress last year, many of the children claim they do not know or have never met their alleged sponsors and, in some cases, are told by complete strangers whom to ask for when they arrive.
Numerous investigations from Congress, reporting by the New York Times and other media outlets, a statewide Florida Grand Jury, and Oversight agencies have found multiple cases of abuse, neglect, and trafficking, and those whom federal agencies and their contractors have simply lost track of.
A briefing by the European Parliament stated that the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children “holds evidence that each year tens of thousands of migrant children go missing after arriving in Europe.” Previously mentioned evidence suggested the same is occurring in the U.S., and several agencies agree that the opportunity for abuse, exploitation, and trafficking increases when UACs are released to sponsors who are not their parents.
In response, during the 88th regular session, Alliance for a Safe Texas worked with state legislators to gather support for the call of a state-level investigation, like that done in Florida, with a bi-partisan supported letter by Representative Stan Kitzman leading the way, regarding the concerning allegations which the Texas Legislature could and should take up during the current interim charges.”
Digesting the Numbers
Hood County Stats
It is important to note that, similar to Tarrant and Dallas County, the data of unaccompanied minors reveals a small number of children have previously been relinquished to sponsors residing in Hood County under prior Administrations, as illustrated in the chart below. However, over 75 percent of UACs released in Hood County have occurred under the Biden administration.
According to the available NYT data, over 44% of the UACs released in Hood County from 2021 to March 2023 were released to sponsors who were not their parents.
The minors released represented four various countries of origin: El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela, with males comprising over three times the number of female children.
Potential Financial Impact on Local ISD
As I have previously mentioned, unaccompanied minors are, by definition, allegedly of school age. According to the Austin American Statesman, the local and state cost per public school student in Texas is approximately $10,387. Utilizing the available data, the estimated costs of UACs released to Hood County are nearly $187,000 annually. Notably, according to the Texas Tribune, during the Grandbury Independent School District (ISD) 2021/2022 school year, the student population categorized as an English Second Language (ESL) student was 9.7%.
As the number of unaccompanied minors released to sponsors living in Hood County has significantly increased since 2021, it is highly probable that family units who crossed illegally with school-aged children have also been attracted to the County, potentially adding to the impact on local social networks and the schools.
Johnson County Stats
In Johnson County, over 70% of the unaccompanied minors released to sponsors residing in the County have occurred under the Biden Administration. Of the UACs released in Johnson from 2021 to March 2023, 64% were released to non-parental sponsors residing in Johnson. The country of origin for the UACs released to sponsors in Johnson County represented six countries, with more than 54% of the population comprised of males.
Potential Financial Impact on Local ISD
Of the UACs released to sponsors in Johnson County from 2021 to March 2023, using the $10,387 estimated cost per public school student, the approximate costs for a single year of education are over $633,000. According to the Texas Tribune, the student population during the 2021/2022 school year for Cleburne ISD categorized as ESL was 23.7%. In Alvarado ISD, the ESL student population during the same period was reported as 22.6%, and Godley ISD reported 12%, respectively, suggesting that the overall migrant population in the County is substantial.
Parker County Stats
Prior to the Biden Administration, there was no reported data on UACs being released in Parker County. In other words, 100% of the available data on unaccompanied minors released to sponsors in Parker County occurred from 2021 to the present. Four countries are listed in the data as the country of origin for the UACs released in Parker: Honduras, Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Interestingly, every UAC released to Parker County sponsors is female, with 30% reportedly released to sponsors who are not the minors’ parents.
Potential Financial Impact on Local ISD
In Parker County, the approximate cost for education of the UACs released to sponsors residing there is over $166,000 annually. According to the Texas Tribune, the population of ESL students in Weatherford ISD during the 2021/2022 school year was 9.4%.
Is your zip code listed as a location where UACs were released to sponsors from 2021 to May 2023? Check below.
Action Item: What can YOU do?
First, share this information by clicking the share button. Please share it on social media with friends, family, and neighbors. Send to your local elected officials: city council, county commissioner, state legislators, and congressional members. Second: Contact the offices of Governor Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker Phelan, and your state legislators and tell them you support the call for a state-level investigation and interim hearings on the issue.
Zip Codes in Hood County where UACs have been released to sponsors from 2021-March 2023
76049
76048
76035
Zip Codes in Johnson County where UACs have been released to sponsors from 2021-March 2023
76063
76028
76036
76033
76009
76031
76058
76084
76050
76044
76035
Zip Code in Parker County where UACs have been released to Sponsors from 2021-March 2023
76108
76087
76020
76082
76086
76066
76035
How can the county infrastructure handle all these non taxpayers
How can they handle the expense