Westminster site ruled out for immigrant children

WESTMINSTER, Md. (AP) — The federal government has decided not to use a vacant Army Reserve building in Westminster to temporarily house immigrant children after objections from Carroll County officials.

A spokesman for Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris tells WBAL Radio (http://bit.ly/1q84uEH ) that the congressman was notified late Saturday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decided not to use the Westminster facility.

Harris, who represents part of Carroll County, joined some county officials in opposing the move. In a statement, Harris says flying the children to Maryland made no sense.

More than 57,000 unaccompanied children have crossed the U.S. border from Central America since October, fleeing violence and extortion in their home countries. The Obama administration has asked Congress for $3.7 billion in emergency funding to cope with the crisis.

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Information from: WBAL-AM, http://www.wbal.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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