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An increase in the detention of migrant children a concern

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A.D. Ibarra

-Eagle Pass

 

The Eagle Pass News Gram recently participated in a statewide forum with Senator John Cornyn in reference to the ever-growing issue of unaccompanied minors who are being apprehended more and more every day and which continues to put an enormous burden on local, state and federal agencies.

"I know with the bad news in Iraq and concern over what's happening in the Middle East and Syria and elsewhere, unfortunately the story of the humanitarian disaster occurring along our Southwestern border  is not getting the attention that I think it deserves," stated the senator, "Last week we spoke of the 10's of thousands of children flooding into Texas on the dangerous and sometimes fatal journey on what is being called 'The Beast' (Which is the name of a book by a Salvadorian journalist on the issue) describing the train ride from southern Mexico across the Guatemalan border into Northern Mexico.  This of course is the corridor controlled by the drug cartels."

What it describes is the horrific conditions under which people travel from Central America through Mexico into the United States under the care and control of the drug cartels and criminal organizations.

"This trip is often characterized as robbery and sexual assault.  Eight out of ten women are sexually assaulted.  Add kidnapping and even murder," added Cornyn.

According to Cornyn, the president has given the impression that if you can make it to the United States that you will be given in essence a visa and be allowed to stay here.  The word that is commonly used among the Central American migrants who are interviewed is 'Permiso'.

"What they are referring to I think is a notice to appear that is given to adults with minors, a notice to appear in court within 90 days in the future and this won't surprise anybody, the vast majority of them simply don't appear, but melt into the Great American Landscape."

"The president needs to take some very fundamental steps here particularly on the issue of dealing with unaccompanied minors and we are going to be communicating with administration perhaps as early as today asking some fundamental questions, whether Homeland Security has any measures in place to track unaccompanied minors after they are placed in the custody of HHS or a guardian or somebody who claims to be a relative."

The numbers are startling. 47,000 unaccompanied minors detained, some as young as three years old, with the average age being 14.  This is a huge crisis as the resources of Texas and local authorities as well as the federal government are being overwhelmed and it is estimated by DHS that there may be as many as 60,000 unaccompanied minors detained many of whom simply volunteer to be taken into custody because they realize that they will be placed with guardians or people who purport to be their relatives and will not be deported.

This is a growing problem as it is estimated that these numbers will double next year.

"This is what happens when the impression is given that the border is open and anybody who gets here can stay here.  That should not be an open invitation for people to come anywhere from around the world into the United States. We simply cannot afford or care for this mass of humanity coming," concluded the senator.

Given the increases in arrests of migrant children along the Texas border with Mexico, the Attorney General of Texas, Greg Abbott has requested $30 million to the Department of Homeland Security United States, to address a situation that is of concern to the attorney for the dangerous cartel activity, including drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Cornyn stressed that they will continue to put pressure on the White House to issue an unequivocal statement that there will be consequences associated with illegal immigration because of course as Henry Cuellar pointed out that we should not view this as simply a 'Goal-line defense' as it should not only be about what we can do at the border, it should be about deterring people from making the very dangerous journey in the first place.

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