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Miami-Dade Mayor Wants To Help Children Being Held In Homestead Facility

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HOMESTEAD (CBSMiami) – The mayor of Miami-Dade County wants to help the hundreds of children being held at a federal facility in Homestead.

In a letter sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristjen Nielsen, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez says he's pleased with President Donald Trump's executive order to end the process of separating children from their families after being detained for crossing into the U.S. Illegally.

He also offers the county's help for the children being held at the Homestead facility housing children who've been separated from their families.

"We're extending out hand trying to help those minors that are in the Homestead facility with the county services that we can give them," said Mayor Gimenez.

The Mayor lists the services available to the children such as providing assessments by licensed clinicians and counseling, providing children with indoor and outdoor physical recreation activities and programs, and cultural and arts programs among others.

In his letter, Mayor Gimenez also says he immigrated to this country as a young child and he feels very strongly that the children being held here should be treated with humanity and dignity.

South Bay community council meme Johnny Farias says he wants to see for himself that these kids are okay.

"If they have nothing to hide then they should let some of the officials or a third party go in there and see for themselves exactly whats going on," said Farias.

Tuesday Senator Bill Nelson and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz were denied access to the Homestead facility where nearly 100 children who have been separated from their families are being housed along with hundreds more who crossed into the U.S. alone.

Along the border, in Tornillo, texas the United States Conference of Mayors gathered to express their concern for child separations.   Among those in attendance — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.

"The objective is to get these kids reunited with their families immediately. We don't know what kind of trauma they're suffering from psychologically," said Mayor Suarez.

Mayor Gimenez says he hopes the government takes up the county's offer to assist the children.

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