We’re just hearing some disturbing news about the Devereux facility located near the Devon Train Station on Highland Avenue.  An observant neighbor noticed some renovation work occurring at Devereux last week. He was told by a worker that immigrant children, ages 4 to 14, who have been separated from their parents or guardians will soon be moved into this facility from the border.

Here is some language from recent job posts on Indeed.com by Devereux which sheds some light on the plans:

“Devereux will be providing short-term shelter care services for refugee children who have come to the United States without their legal guardian. Devereux will provide extremely high-quality, trauma-informed residential and educational services for refugee children, with intense supports for their social and emotional health. We will also ensure they receive excellent and immediate physical healthcare including pediatric, dental and nutritional supports for every child.

Devereux’s ultimate goal is to ensure every refugee child who receives our services is successfully and quickly discharged into the loving care of their family sponsor and, during the short time they are with us, receive medical, therapeutic, recreational and educational services designed to address the traumas they have sustained during, and often before, their migration journey.We have already begun partnering with leading legal defense nonprofits to ensure children in our care have access to the finest immigration advocates and supports our country offers. We will also ensure they receive excellent and immediate physical healthcare including pediatric, dental and nutritional supports for every child.”

Obviously, we have many questions and concerns.

• Why the secrecy? Why the lack of transparency and communication with Easttown residents by Devereux and our five Republican Township Supervisors?
• Why are children who have been cruelly separated from their parents at the border being sent two thousand miles away to Easttown for what could be an unlimited time span? Is that truly in the best interests of the children?

As far as residents know, the Devon Devereux facility is only zoned to handle 21 people but residents are hearing rumors that Devereux is planning on housing 42 children or double it’s capacity. What is going on here? Unfortunately, we have very limited information at this point but there are reports that the Philadelphia Inquirer is working on a story and possibly Channel 6 ABC News.

We urge all Easttown residents to contact your elected representatives immediately and ask them to help shed light on what is being planned for the Devon Devereux facility. Here are links with phone numbers and mailing addresses for our five Republican Easttown Supervisors, as well as our representatives in Washington: Senator Casey, Senator Toomey, and Congresswoman Houlahan.

Read about Trump’s newly proposed cruel immigration plan to end limits on detention for migrant children