Unaccompanied migrant youth in U.S. detention centers rises 50%

Dres2011 · 10-16-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Gang violence in Central America has led to a startling increase in the number of children who make the dangerous journey across the Mexican border alone in search of asylum in the United States, according to a report by the Women's Refugee Commission, a nonprofit that advocates for displaced women and children.

The number of unaccompanied migrant children in U.S. detention centers grew nearly 50%, from 6,854 in fiscal 2011 to more than 10,000 in the nine-month period ended June 30, according to federal statistics cited in the report, titled "Forced From Home: The Lost Boys and Girls of Central America." With three months left in the latest reporting period, the fiscal 2012 figures are expected to rise further.

Most of the growth came from three countries: El Salvador, with 68% more unaccompanied minors; Guatemala, with 72% more; and Honduras, with the number more than doubling, from 1,201 to 2,477. The number of Mexican children crossing the border alone fell in the same period.

In interviews conducted with 151 children in federal holding facilities, nearly 80% told researchers that violence was the main reason they set out for the U.S. by themselves, traveling with paid guides on buses or chancing the desert trek as stowaways on top of trains.

One 16-year-old from Honduras told the report's authors that he was threatened with physical violence after refusing to be recruited by a gang. He could no longer attend school safely, so he came to the U.S. to continue his studies.

The children travel on their own because their parents are already in the U.S., because they are fleeing domestic violence or because the family cannot undertake the journey together, said advocates who work with them.

"What they said is, 'If I stayed, I definitely would die.' They knew it would be a dangerous journey, but at least there's a chance," said Michelle Brane, director of the Women's Refugee Commission's detention and asylum program.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement, were criticized in the report for operating substandard detention facilities. Officials from the two agencies were unavailable for comment.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform, an anti-immigration group, blamed the influx of Central American children on a new federal program granting a two-year reprieve from deportation to some young immigrants.

"The Obama administration has made it very clear — if you get your kids to the U.S. and keep them here for a while, they can stay," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the group. "That's the unmistakable message he's sent around the world. Not surprisingly, you have parents who say, 'Let's do that.'"

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...,6904349.story

Ianus · 10-16-2012, 04:23 PM

Well one has to look at the accuracy of what both sides are saying.I think FAIR may have a point that Unaccompanied minors may be coming across due to the wide publicity that DACA has,but the minor wouldn't get to stay because of such but because of 'SIJS' potentially!

There has been discussion on here with this being one of the potential problems of enacting the more permanent dream act which could induce further illegal immigration.

nesto90 · 10-16-2012, 05:25 PM

i think FAIR is completely ignoring the actual reason why these kids are coming over, besides how are these kids going to legally immigrate?

U.S. citizen · 10-18-2012, 03:25 PM

this is what happen when you dont respect the law.

Dres2011 · 10-18-2012, 03:28 PM

No this is what happens when people have nothing.

They need you!

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Unaccompanied migrant youth in U.S. detention centers rises 50%