"To welcome strangers & care for the vulnerable. This is our mission:" Catholic Charities could care for immigrant children

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Unaccompanied minors continue to cross the border into the United States -- but will they reach Milwaukee? Preparations are being made to house and care for immigrant children from Central America -- just in case.

For several weeks, thousands of children have illegally crossed the border into the United States -- escaping Central American violence.

Their reception when they're moved from detention camps into communities has been mixed: from welcoming, to outright protests -- but the kids are still coming.

"Mainly to welcome strangers and care for the vulnerable. This is our mission," Father David Bergner the director of Catholic Charities said.

Father Bergner says FEMA asked Catholic Charities to scope out some housing to help with the humanitarian crisis at the border.

"They gave us a profile in terms of the kinds of facilities they're looking for, so we found sites that we believe meet those conditions," Father Bergner said.

FEMA wants the organization to be prepared to take between 100 and 300 unaccompanied immigrant minors. There's a legal process to go through that will either allow them to stay, or send them back -- and that takes time.

"They specifically asked for 120 days, so this apparently is the time it would take to process these children through the courts and also to get some of their basic needs met," Father Bergner said.

While Catholic Charities has done all that's asked of it in terms of finding potential facilities and staff, whether the children actually come to Milwaukee depends on the federal government.

Lawmakers will need to pass an appropriation bill to provide the funding for the venture -- and if they do, Father Bergner says volunteers are standing by.

"We have doctors calling us, lawyers calling us, school administrators calling us, teachers calling us wanting to be of service," Father Bergner said.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and County Executive Chris Abele have also been asked to help find housing for the immigrant children.

Father Bergner says he and the two, along with Kathleen Falk with the Department of Health and Human Services will discuss the issue on a conference call Monday, July 28th.