In their latest update, Granite Ridge announced potential plans to provide housing for unaccompanied immigrant children in the former Mercyhurst North East campus.
One of the many considerations for campus activation and large economic impact could potentially include an organization that provides educational, recreational, case management, language and cultural acclimation services for unaccompanied children. In this potential partnership, Granite Ridge could serve an incredibly meaningful humanitarian role in caring for vulnerable children from outside the US*, until they can be reunited with their families.
If this program moves forward, we expect to be able to create many well compensated professional jobs, such as caring for the children and providing them with educational and recreational opportunities, along with a significant number of other positions. These jobs would undoubtedly benefit the region and meaningfully uplift the economic activity for local and regional businesses.
It is unclear whether this has yet been discussed with anyone in North East Borough or North East Township and Granite Ridge will likely want to consider how these plans will be received by the community as a whole before moving ahead.
Granite Ridge discussed many plans for this property on a number of occasions, but using this beautiful and historic campus in the center of town as a holding facility for unaccompanied migrants was never mentioned.
Every one of these “vulnerable children from outside the US” that Granite Ridge wants to care for is here illegally, they should not be in the United States to begin with. They came here outside of any legal channel and are not only unaccompanied, they are also undocumented. Who they are, how old they are, who they are supposedly related to, where they came from and every other bit of information authorities may have is unverified and likely unverifiable.
These illegal immigrants do not create an obligation on the part of any law abiding US citizens simply by showing up or being brought here by Granite Ridge or any other organization. Many of us contribute to and work to help residents in need in our community, who are here legally and rightfully have priority over anyone who chose to simply walk across our wide open and totally uncontrolled southern border. US citizens are and should be the focus of our efforts and concerns.
Granite Ridge and its owners the Ehrenfeld Companies, by considering this move are betraying the trust our community has shown them and if they take this step it will create a much different relationship between themselves and the residents and businesses of North East and the community as a whole. This idea should be shelved immediately.
Granite Ridge Community Update
Discover more from North East PA Online
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Richard Locke says
It will kill the school district in many ways.
Qualified teachers for language barriers.
Lower the standards for the school district.
The township and borough will have problems with water and sewer
The police will have more activity and problems.
Will there be state and federal funding for the children?
How much is this going to affect our tax base township and borough.
North East is having a tough time getting people to work now!
Mary Pat Lucia says
This property was not planned to do this job. For many years, it has been open to the community for all types of events and should continue to be so. I’m sure there are places that are not so close to towns or cities, that would accommodate what you wish to do..
Please sell this land to a sports complex that will utilize it as it has been set up to do. Nobody in North East wants you there, doing this job.