The League of United Latin American Citizens launched an initiative on Thursday at its 85th Convention in New York, partnering with civil rights groups and businesses to provide aid for the thousands of migrant children in limbo on the U.S. border.

Luis Torres, Director of Education Policy at LULAC told Latin Post, "We have told our members that we are not going to wait for Congress to do their job. We've never sat around for other people to act. We're making a call to our civil rights colleagues, beginning conversations with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and business partners who are willing to step up and find ways to assist the children on the boarder and the communities willing to receive them."

Torres added, "We have seen communities who have not been very happy to receive the children. There are many more which are welcoming, and we want to make sure that other side is heard."

The initiative was announced following the keynote address by the first lady, Michelle Obama, at LULAC's luncheon, where she emphasized education and only briefly mentioned immigration or the humanitarian crisis.

Latin Post asked LULAC's Torres about why he thought the first lady said very little on either immigration or the humanitarian crisis.

Torres said, "We were encouraged by what she had to say today. The LULAC board met privately with Mrs. Obama before the luncheon, and she said she was going to take our message back to the White House. President Obama has stated he will move forward with executive action and the agenda of immigration. We agree with him, but we are hopeful to hear more."

Torres added, "We are going to hash out the details of how we as a civil organization will try and assist the communities that are being affected and dealing with the detention and housing of migrant children. We need to be able to provide them with a safe place where they can be free from the violence and the drugs taking place in their countries and we have communicated that strongly to the White House."