Month: March 2020

District attorney says undocumented individuals will not be arrested while seeking medical help

Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree stated Monday that individuals will not be arrested or detained while seeking medical help or being outside of their home because of their immigration status.

The district attorney stated he had received numerous reports of fear regarding undocumented individuals afraid to seek medical assistance. He sent out a statement to provide clarity from a pubic safety standpoint as it related to COVID-19, according to his statement. A “stay home” order went into effect Tuesday in Wyandotte County.

“Individuals will not be arrested or detained while seeking medical help, or for being outside of your home, because of one’s immigration status,” Dupree stated. “We are in this thing together. Law enforcement encourages all to comply with the ‘Stay at Home’ order issued recently throughout the metro. Health officials believe this will be one of the best ways to ‘flatten the curve’ in the spread of the virus.

“If you do have to go out, you will not be pulled over and questioned,” Dupree stated. “We simply ask for compliance with the ordinance. Additionally, if you are home and undocumented, police are not looking to arrest any group of people en masse.”

On its website, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says it has temporarily adjusted its enforcement posture beginning March 18. ICE will not carry out enforcement operations at or near health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors’ offices, accredited health clinics and emergency or urgent care facilities, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances, according to the website. Individuals should not avoid seeking medical care because they fear civil immigration enforcement. The website is at https://www.ice.gov/covid19.

Those who have the symptoms of COVID-19 may contact their health care providers, Dupree stated. They will direct patients to any further steps that need to be taken. Spanish-speaking individuals seeking assistance or resources may contact El Centro at 913-677-0100.

For more information, visit https://www.wycokck.org/WycoKCK/media/Health-Department/Documents/WyCo-DA-Office-COVID-19-Update-Immigrant-Hispanic-Documented-and-Undocumented-Community.pdf

Today’s high to be 53

Storms today are mostly to the south of the Kansas City area, while there is a 60 percent chance of storms on Thursday night in Wyandotte County. (National Weather Service graphic)

A 30 percent chance of showers is possible Tuesday, mainly before 9 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. A high of 53 is in today’s forecast.

Most of the thunderstorm activity will take place across southeastern Kansas this morning, to the south of Wyandotte County, the weather service said. There is a small chance of showers with some thunderstorms south of I-70.

Quiet weather is expected Wednesday into Thursday, according to the weather service.

Another round of strong storms is possible Thursday night into Friday morning. The main threat will be from isolated large hail, the weather service said.

Today, there is a 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 9 a.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 53 with an east northeast wind of 7 to 9 mph. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Tonight, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 43, and an east wind around 5 mph, becoming light and variable, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, it will be partly sunny, with a high near 69, the weather service said. A south wind of 6 to 15 mph will gust as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday night, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low of 49, according to the weather service. A south southwest wind of 5 to 10 mph will become light and variable in the evening.

Thursday, it will be cloudy with a high near 66, the weather service said. An east wind around 5 mph will become light and variable in the afternoon.

Thursday night, there is a 60 percent chance of rain, then rain is likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 50. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Friday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms, with a high near 67, the weather service said.

Friday night, there is a 70 percent chance of rain and possibly a thunderstorm, according to the weather service. The low will be around 47.

Saturday, there is a 40 percent chance of rain, with a high near 55, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be mostly cloudy with a low of 37, according to the weather service.

Sunday, it will be sunny with a high near 62, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 41, according to the weather service.

Monday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 67, the weather service said.

Sen. Roberts urges bipartisanship in coronavirus legislation

U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, took to the Senate floor Monday to urge his colleagues to put partisanship aside and work across the aisle to pass coronavirus legislation.

“I’m tired of the partisanship, I’m tired of all this work we’ve put together to address what everybody understands is a national pandemic, a world pandemic,” Sen. Roberts said. “Here we are, messing around trying to say, ‘Oh no, we can’t vote for cloture and address some of these things with the now five working groups to produce a product.’ That’s wrong, that’s really wrong. I have to warn my colleagues.

“This so called blanket of comity that we always have in the Senate is pretty thread bare, I hope we can get past this and I hope we can vote to get to cloture and get to a bill as soon as we can.

“Agriculture has been hit hard. The best thing we can do for all sectors of agriculture is to work together now to provide much-needed and overdue relief as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across the country.”