Pence: Obama Sent Illegal Aliens To Indiana Without Telling Me

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence wrote to President Barack Obama on Tuesday, asking him to return the illegal alien children his administration sent to Indiana without warning.

“In Indiana last week, we learned from media reports that more than two hundred unaccompanied children had been placed by the federal government with sponsors in our state,” Pence wrote to Obama. “Only after these media reports were published did the state receive notice from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that in fact 245 unaccompanied children had been placed in Indiana during the period from January 1, 2014 through July 7, 2014.”

Pence, a Republican considered to be a potential 2016 presidential candidate, said he has “profound concern” with what he described as “the federal government’s mishandling” of the border crisis.

Pence said for the children’s own sakes, they should be returned to their home countries so they can be reunited with their families. 

“While we feel deep compassion for these children, our country must secure its borders and provide for a legal and orderly immigration process,” Pence said. “Those who have crossed our border illegally should be treated humanely and with decency and respect, but they should be returned expeditiously to their home countries to be reunited with their families rather than being dispersed around the United States in sponsored placement or long-term detention facilities. Failure to expedite the return of unaccompanied children thwarts the rule of law and will only continue to send a distorted message that illegally crossing into America is without consequence.”

Pence told Obama that, given the cost, these illegal aliens will burden the state of Indiana and its taxpayers, and the federal government needs to be transparent about any plans it has with illegal aliens in the future.

“Indiana will be responsible for the costs of education for these unaccompanied children and perhaps other costs related to their health and welfare, and therefore, we require transparency and timely information about their placement in the state,” Pence wrote. “For example, in many districts across Indiana, the 2014-2015 school year starts in just a few days, and school officials need accurate information about unaccompanied children who will potentially be in their classrooms while placed with their sponsors.”