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Massachusetts May Shelter Unaccompanied Children

Jim Levulis
/
WAMC

Governor Deval Patrick says he is weighing a request by the Obama administration about whether Massachusetts could agree to shelter some of the unaccompanied children crossing the nation's southern border illegally.Patrick told reporters Wednesday that the request had come during the past week or so.

He said the children would be held in secure facilities and not released into neighborhoods.

The Democrat called the situation at the southern border a "humanitarian crisis" and said he doesn't think Massachusetts should turn its back on children who are coming from desperate situations.

He said his administration is still trying to understand the scope of what it is Massachusetts is being asked to do and how many minors the state could shelter.

Connecticut officials recently rejected a similar federal request.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Jim is WAMC’s Assistant News Director and hosts WAMC's flagship news programs: Midday Magazine, Northeast Report and Northeast Report Late Edition. Email: jlevulis@wamc.org
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