The Latest: Kansas: Group homes meet immigrant kids’ needs

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Latest on unaccompanied immigrant children being housed in group homes in northeast Kansas (all times local):

7 p.m.

Kansas’ child welfare agency has concluded after an inspection that immigrant children housed in Topeka group homes are “having their needs met.”

Spokeswoman Taylor Forrest issued an email statement Friday evening after the state Department for Children and Families completed an inspection of The Villages homes on a 400-acre site outside Topeka. The statement was not specific about the inspector’s findings.

Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered the inspection after four Democratic legislators accused him of not being aggressive enough in seeking information about the immigrant children at The Villages homes.

The nonprofit group has a contract with the federal government to house up to 50 unaccompanied immigrant children. It’s not clear how many were separated from their parents during a recent crackdown at the U.S-Mexico border.

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5:05 p.m.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered an immediate inspection of Topeka group homes that are housing unaccompanied immigrant children.

Colyer directed the state Department for Children and Families to inspect The Villages homes Friday after four Democratic state legislators criticized him during a Statehouse news conference. They said Colyer was not being aggressive enough in seeking information about the immigrant children there.

The Villages has a federal contract to house 50 unaccompanied immigrant children at its seven group homes in Topeka and Lawrence. But it won’t say whether any of them had been separated from their parents during recent crackdown at the border.

Colyer spokesman Kendall Marr said the state doesn’t have control over the federal contract but can ensure that the homes continue to meet state standards.

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11:10 a.m.

Democratic lawmakers are demanding that Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer be more aggressive in seeking answers about immigrant children housed in northeast Kansas group homes.

Several Democrats had a news conference Friday to argue that Colyer is too passive about reports that children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border are being housed by the nonprofit agency The Villages.

Colyer spokesman Kendall Marr said the federal government didn’t notify the administration of its plans and the state has sought information.

The Villages confirmed Thursday that it has a federal contract to house 50 unaccompanied immigrant children at its seven group homes in Topeka and Lawrence. But it would not say whether any of them had been separated from their parents during recent crackdown at the border.