Rep. Manning raises questions about refugee center at former American Hebrew Academy

U.S. Representative Kathy Manning has sent a letter to federal health officials with concerns about a planned refugee center in Greensboro.

The letter is directed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement. That's the agency that's leasing the former American Hebrew Academy to temporarily house unaccompanied minor children.

The plan is to use the vacant campus as a transition site for children until they can be reunited with their families.

The letter asks for details on security at the facility, how many children will reside there, their average length of stay, and how they will be provided with health services, among other issues.

Manning, D-6th, says she wrote the letter in response to questions from area residents.

“What I want to understand for my constituents is all the details of how this facility will be operated, what the impact will be on the community,” she says. “And how other facilities in other communities have operated and what the impact has been on those communities.”

Manning says she has asked for an in-person meeting with DHHS officials to address her concerns.

The agency did not reply to an email request seeking a response to Manning's letter.