Questions mount over grant to bring migrant children to unlicensed NC group home

WHY ONE

>>> A REACHES RECENT COURT

FILING FOUND THE 900 MIGRANT

CHILDREN HAVE BEEN SEPARATED

FROM THEIR FAMILIES.

THE DEBATE IS MOVED FROM THE

MEXICAN BORDER TO NORTH

CAROLINA.

HERE'S MORE ON THIS EXCLUSIVE

STORY FROM CULLEN BROWDER.

>> Reporter: THE GOVERNMENT IS

SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO

MOVE IN HOUSE CHILDREN ACROSS

THE COUNTRY.

THERE'S A LITTLE TRANSPARENCY

IN THE PROCESS.

THE TREATMENT OF UNDOCUMENTED

MIGRANTS CAME INTO QUESTION.

AND A WRAL STARTED LOOKING AT

WHERE THEY PLAN ON PUTTING ON

ACCOMPANIED CHILDREN.

THEY SAID THEY PUBLISHED

MILLIONS IN FEDERAL GRANTS FOR

SUPERVISED HOUSING.

WE FOUND A $4 MILLION GRANT

AWARDED TO A COMPANY CALLED NEW

HORIZON.

NEIGHBORS CONFIRMED THAT THE

HOUSE HAS BEEN USED AS A GROUP

HOME FOR YEARS.

STATE RECORDS SHOW THAT THE

LICENSE TO OPERATE EXPIRED IN

DECEMBER.

WE WORK TO TRACK DOWN THE OWNER

BY PHONE AND AT VARIOUS HOMES

LISTED UNDER HER NAME.

WE REACHED OUT TO STATE AND

FEDERAL AGENCIES TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE GRANTS.

TWO WEEKS AFTER WE STARTED

ASKING QUESTIONS.

NEW HORIZON APPLIED FOR A

RESIDENTIAL CHILD CARE FACILITY

LICENSE.

THE PLAN TO TURN THIS ASSISTED-

LIVING FACILITY INTO A GROUP

HOME FOR MIGRANT BOYS AGES A 6-

17.

WHEN WRAL INVESTIGATES SHOWED

UP WE FOUND CREWS WORKING

INSIDE AND OUT.

I WAS CONFRONTED BY AN ARMED

SECURITY GUARD WHO ORDERED ME

TO LEAVE AND NOT TAKE PICTURES.

HE THEN CALLED A MANAGER AND

STARTED RECORDING OUR

INTERACTION.

>> THERE'S $4 MILLION IN

TAXPAYER MONEY THAT'S GOING

INTO THIS.

DO NOT FEEL LIKE THE PUBLIC HAS

A RIGHT TO KNOW?

>> THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW SOON IT

IS IT IS RELEASED.

>> WE DISCOVERED THIS A VACANT

HOME.

THE COMPANY OPERATED A HOME FOR

BOYS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS UNTIL

THEY WERE ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN IN

HER LICENSE REVOKED BECAUSE OF

THE IMMINENT DANGER TO THE

HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF

THE BOYS.

>> OUR POSITION AS A STATE IS

INCORRECT.

>> Reporter: THEY SAID A SEALED

PROTECTIVE ORDER PROTECTS

EXPLAINING HOW THE STATE GOT A

20 VIOLATIONS A WRONG?

>> IT'S A GOOD COMPANY THAT

DOES GOOD SERVICES.

>> IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD

AWARD $4 MILLION IN GRANT MONEY

EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN'T HAVE A

LICENSE FOR THAT FACILITY?

>> I CANNOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF

THEIR DECISION.

SHE IS A SOLID COMPANY.

>> THIS ISN'T JUST AN ISSUE OF

SOMETHING HAPPENING ON THE

BORDER.

>> Reporter: THEY SAID THAT

IT'S A SERIOUS OF RED FLAGS FOR

MIGRANT CHILDREN'S RIGHTS AND

HEALTH.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN AS

YOUNG AS SIX YEARS OLD BEING

HELD THIS IS A GRAVE THREAT TO

THEIR WELL-BEING.

>> Reporter: MY COLLEAGUES AT

DIG DEEPER INTO THE CONTRACT.

AND YOU CAN FIND THAT AT

WRAL.COM.

AMONG THE RED FLAGS THE

CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR NEW

HORIZON LISTS THE DOCTORATE AS

A BOGUS INSTITUTION THAT SOLD A

DIPLOMA'S.

>> YOU SAW THAT WORK GOING ON

THERE, DID YOU GET THE FEELING

THAT THIS WOULD BE READY SOON

TO HOUSE THESE CHILDREN?

>> THAT'S AN INDICATION, THEY

DO PLAN ON OPENING SOON AND