1,280 migrant children at Long Beach Convention Center now reunited with family, mayor says

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- More than 1,200 migrant children who were temporarily being housed at the Long Beach Convention Center have been reunited with relatives and sponsors as of Friday.

Nearly 310 children are still awaiting reunification as the shelter, which is run by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, is set to close in three weeks.

Until then, there is more work to do, said Mayor Robert Garcia.

"The key now are those 300 children left, but the response from the community and the support from the community has been so overwhelming...We're happy to have helped the administration and, most importantly, getting these kids reunified with family," he said.

The effort is being fully led and funded by the federal government, Long Beach officials said, adding that the city was focused on "welcoming the children and supporting them during the unification process."

Last month, Garcia said "incredible progress" was being made and thanked a non-profit social justice firm for representing each child at the shelter.

Watch the video in the media player above for more from the mayor, including the city's goals to become one of the largest space hubs on the West Coast.