Granite Ridge Gets National Attention in Article on Influx Care Facilities

The Epoch Times has an excellent article covering influx care facilities. Granite Ridge is prominently mentioned along with warnings from investigators who have been looking into the entire issue of “unaccompanied minors.” It sheds light on gangs, human traffickers and the sponsors to whom these minors are released. Read the whole thing to get a better understanding of what the Ehrenfeld companies are trying to foist on our community.

In March, news broke that Ehrenfeld Companies—the owner of the former two-year-college for Mercyhurst University, Granite Ridge, in the Borough of North East, Pennsylvania—was considering turning the property into housing for unaccompanied minors.

However, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and members of his office have been contacted by local leaders and residents expressing their objections to such a facility.

“There is a lot of concern from community members in North East about the prospect of an unaccompanied migrant facility in their town. We understand the talks between property owners and local officials remain ongoing and that it’s not a done-deal just yet,” Matt Knoedler, Kelly’s spokesman told The Epoch Times.

“So far, Representative Kelly and our staff remain in communication with all parties involved to remain up-to-date about the project’s future. We met with local officials and the property’s owners last week to learn more about the future of the project and what the impact of that project may be on the North East community.

“Many residents remain concerned about a repeat of what happened in Erie County in 2021. when a group of nearly 150 migrant children were suddenly placed in an emergency intake site without first telling community members or even Representative Kelly. It appears the 2021 case is fresh in the minds of North East residents as the debate over this new proposed facility continues.”

Granite Ridge did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

More like a juvenile detention facility

“I would not want one of these facilities in my neighborhood because regardless of whether the kids commit any crimes, it’s a magnet for criminals. They attract everything from gangs to human traffickers,” Matthew O’Brien, director of investigations at the Immigration Reform Law Institute, told The Epoch Times.

“These are being portrayed as something like a group home or a foster home. But they really need to be run more like a juvenile detention facility because the other problem is, most of these kids—by the time they’re put into this procedure—have not had background checks run on them. It’s a problem vetting minors in general, but particularly minor aliens. So we don’t know how many of these kids have had interactions with the criminal justice system in their home countries.”

“Gang membership in Latin America regularly starts with kids as young as eight to 10 years old. The program has been infected with gang members,” O’Brien said. “Gangs aren’t stupid. They know that this is also fertile ground for recruitment. Trafficking is another problem.

“A trafficker shows up and says, ‘This is my cousin’s kid. I’m a family member.’ And of course, the child knows that they need to say yes to that because if the child doesn’t, the child will be severely punished,” O’Brien said, adding that once the minor leaves the facility, HHS has no idea what happens to them.

What these facilities are really like is camouflaged with deceptive words, designed to tug at the heartstrings of those who don’t look too closely. Be sure to read the article linked below. It’s an eye opener.

What Happens to Unaccompanied Minors Who Illegally Enter the US