Hatch calls for nonpartisan coalition for immigrant children

DES MOINES - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jack Hatch asked 2014 election rival Republican Gov. Terry Branstad to join him Wednesday in a nonpartisan effort to determine what Iowans may be able to do to help halt a humanitarian crisis involving unaccompanied children at the U.S. southern border.

Hatch, a state senator from Des Moines, called for a nonpartisan 'Iowa Coalition of Mercy” that would involve Iowa stakeholders in formulating an appropriate response to thousands of immigrant children from Central American countries who arrived in the United States separated from their families.

'This shouldn't be about party, politics or dividing up voters,” Hatch said in a statement. 'This is a moment in which all Iowans should come together, driven by the best in our faith traditions to do the right thing for children who desperately need our help.”

Hatch proposed a meeting of stakeholders including local governments, business, labor and non-profit groups to assess resources and determine what can be done to help. The Democrat noted Iowa has a tradition of being welcoming to refugee populations as symbolized by former Gov. Robert Ray's action in bringing 25,000 Southeast Asian refugees to Iowa in 1975.

Hatch's idea was met with a cool reception from the Republican camp.

'Gov. Branstad has sympathy for the terrible situation that these children have been put in as they have been sent across dangerous territory to attempt to enter into the United States illegally, some through no fault of their own,” said Tommy Schultz, communications director for the Branstad-Reynolds campaign.

'This is not about politics as Hatch suggests,” Schultz added. 'Gov. Branstad believes, along with even Democratic governors, that the country needs to first secure the border, the rule of law needs to be respected, and a resolution to the influx of children needs to happen carefully, quickly and with compassion.”

Earlier this week, Branstad said he empathized with the plight of the unaccompanied children, but he was opposed to allowing them to locate in Iowa after receiving information that Obama administration officials had resettled children in several states without adequate notice or details.

Branstad said he was unaware of any attempts by the federal government to house children in Iowa, but told reporters he did not want 'to send a signal to send your kids to America illegally. That's not the right message.”

Hatch said he was disappointed by Branstad's statements indicating the governor didn't want any of the refugee children to be housed in Iowa, but was 'buoyed by his statement that we all want these children to be safe.”

In that regard, Hatch said he hoped Iowa would determine what resources could be delivered to keep the children healthy and safe during this process, which could include housing the children in Iowa or providing food, medicine and supplies to other locations.

'I want to give the governor a chance to rethink this, and maybe conclude mercy and justice are more important than political points,” Hatch said in his statement. 'Iowans expect executive leadership from a governor even when the initiative is a public-private partnership.”