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The
United States has started to return groups of young Central American migrants
who have crossed into the country illegally. More than 60,000 children have
come into the US since October of last year, an increase of 400% since the year
before.
Since
October of last year, 60,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed into the U.S.
Administration officials estimate 90,000 children will have arrived by the end
of this September.
People
who are familiar with the backgrounds of these children say this is not a
migration problem, but a refugee problem.
“These
are not refugees. This is a big time scam,” said Brad Botwin, director of Help
Save Maryland, a group opposing illegal immigration. “There are
some problems there with violence; there’s ways to fix that. Not just come up
to the United States and run away from it.”
But
as Central American countries struggle to overcome gangs and poverty, the
children keep coming.
A
2008 law allows Central American children to stay until they get a court
hearing, instead of being deported immediately. Bob Dane of the Federation for
American Immigration Reform (FAIR) said the law's original intent was to
protect children who were being trafficked.
“Unfortunately
now, that law is being used as a loophole -- it is being advertised as a means
into the United States. Really, it’s the driver of mass migration from Central
America,” said Dane.
Once
the children arrive, the law allows them to be housed in detention centers then
placed with family members until their court hearing.
Marc
Rosenblum of the Migration Policy Institute wants the law changed.
“What
it’s not doing is allowing for a quick settlement, a quick resolution and
deportation of kids who are not eligible for a visa. So the fix would be to
speed up that hearing process,” said Rosenblum.
Those
hearings can take up to two years. For now, children that have arrived will
have to wait.
