AUSTIN, Texas — Wednesday, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Janice Jack – which found the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in contempt of previous court orders that charged the Commission with reforming Texas’ broken foster care system.
This is the third time that the State of Texas, since it’s been under statewide Republican control, has been found in contempt by a federal court for its deplorable, inhumane, and unconstitutional treatment of Texas’ most vulnerable children.
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa issued the following statement in response to the 5th Circuit’s stay of Judge Janice Jack’s ruling:
“Texans, I urge you to take time today to think about the defenseless children that the State of Texas is responsible for protecting. Think about the solemn duty that lies with every leader within the state agencies responsible for their safety and well-being. Think about the children that, tonight, will be sleeping in state office buildings and run-down motels.
“And then, think critically about who is responsible for this abhorrent treatment of innocent children: Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan, and Ken Paxton. They are all complicit in the appeal that allows Texas Republicans to maintain the status quo of neglect, mistreatment, and abuse of innocent children instead of accepting responsibility and taking action to fix the foster care system. They–alone–have the power to fix this, and yet they continue to refuse to do their job all while endangering the lives of the children they are responsible for.
“I implore Texans of every political stripe, Democrats and Republicans alike, to look at what Greg Abbott and his cronies have done to our state’s most vulnerable children. My family and I pray for these children, and will continue to pray for their safety, their well-being, and their healing from the trauma inflicted by Texas Republicans as we strive to elect leaders who are committed to ensuring a world-class foster care system for decades to come.”
