Posted on 05/04/2016 5:07:23 PM PDT by jazusamo
Child migration is surging again.
The number of families and unaccompanied children apprehended on the southern border has skyrocketed this year, according to new figures from the Obama administration.
The numbers, compiled by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), reveal that child migration is on par with 2014 levels, when a wave of kids –– thousands of them unaccompanied –– arrived at the southern border.
The surge of illegal immigration quickly swamped border authorities, immigration courts and health and humanitarian workers, while sparking a political battle on Capitol Hill over the cause and proper response to the crisis.
The new figures raise the specter of another increase this summer. That would almost certainly inflame another political showdown in a volatile presidential year in which the issues of race, immigration and border security have been pronounced — particularly due to the hard-line enforcement approach adopted by the presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.
Through the first six months of fiscal 2016, which ended on March 31, border officials apprehended 27,754 unaccompanied children, the CBP reported — a 78 percent jump from 15,616 apprehended in 2015, and just shy of the 28,579 apprehended in 2014.
For family units, which consist of at least one child traveling with at least one adult, the increase was even more dramatic. In the first six months of 2016, 32,117 families were apprehended, the CBP reported — an increase of 131 percent from the 2015 figure (13,913) and 62 percent from the 2014 figure (19,830).
Kevin Appleby, director of international migration policy at the Center for Migration Studies, proposed several reasons for the increase. For one, the violence plaguing Central America –– particularly El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala –– still exists, he noted, sending people fleeing north for their lives.
"The forces driving the migration are still strong," he said.
Appleby also suggested the human smugglers accompanying the migrants might have adapted to a crackdown by Mexican authorities in 2015, allowing the smugglers to elude capture and get more people to the U.S. border.
Appleby, along with many other human rights advocates, has been critical of Mexico's policing efforts –– and the Obama administration's support of them. They fear that many people eligible for asylum in the United States never make it that far, but are instead returned by Mexican authorities to dangerous conditions in Central America.
"Our policy of deterrence is clearly not working no matter how much we pay the Mexican government to do our dirty work," Appleby said Wednesday.
It's unclear if the 2016 increases will continue into the summer and rival the surge total of 2014. The Obama administration has scrambled to prevent a similar crisis since then, and Congress last year approved $750 million to help stabilize El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in hopes of slowing the flow of people trying to come to the U.S.
In January, the Homeland Security Department tried another deterrent strategy, launching a series of controversial raids on scores of families that had arrived in the 2014 surge and putting them in line for deportation.
Jens Manuel Krogstad, of the Pew Research Center, noted Wednesday that the strategy might have worked.
"This fiscal year, family and unaccompanied children apprehensions spiked in December 2015, and in January 2016 the Department of Homeland Security launched immigration raids targeting families," Krogstad wrote on Pew's blog . "Since then, monthly border apprehensions have dropped below 2014 levels."
Any child below the the age of about 12 that appears at the border should be declared an orphan and placed in an adoptive home. The birth parents should have their rights terminated.
If the “child” is 16 or older they should be put in the military peeling potatoes or stacking equipment. If they want to stay after 6 years ten they would need to re-up for 6 more years. After 12 years in the US Army they are probably good citizens
Build a wall. A high wall.
Revoke automatic citizenship for illegal alien babies. What's more. Any baby, or their parents who come here illegally will be permanently denied American citizenship.
Any wealth (real estate, bank accounts, personal property) acquired while here illegally will be confiscated.
Get out of the way as they flee back to Mexico.
I love that we can finally speak about a southern wall with more than half of an expectation of it becoming a reality, instead of having to admit it to be a fantasy. It should have been built in 1988. Go Trump !
Agreed...If those steps were taken it would put a huge dent in illegals coming here.
I would add, strict enforcement of e-verify.
“Any child below the the age of about 12 that appears at the border should be declared an orphan and placed in an adoptive home.”
—
Yep !
Parents have been ARRESTED for letting their kids walk to the park alone and these kids are treated quite well and nothing ever happens to the parents.
This country has gone stark,raving,mad.
.
We can’t build the wall fast enough.
They’re trying to get here before Trump shuts down the border.
This is a harbinger that a lot of people are thinking Trump is gonna win.
Like watching the hectic migration and stockpiling of the animals before a harsh winter.
I’ve no doubt you’re right, they’re scared to death Trump will be our next president.
Shove them back over.
Sneaking in to out vote the Gringos and put the Clinton “Free Stuff” cartel back into the White House. Low life b*st*rds. Obonzo should be in prison.
The rush becomes a crush as the left and the wannabe migrants contemplate the possibility of a Trump presidency in January.
LOL..The wall has already been built and Mexico paid for it. Unfortunately, it only exists in the minds of naive Trump supporters and that is the only place it is going to exist.
And you base that on what information?
Not only is that wall never going to be built we are going to have to endure Freepers blame Ted Cruz for single handedly obstructing Trump for losing in the primary.
proper response to the crisis
Flame thower. Set to lightly toast.
IBTZ
The Obama administration and both houses of Congress are committing treason over this illegal immigration invasion. They all take an oath to uphold the Constitution to protect the citizens. They are, in broad daylight, refusing to do so.
When was the last time any Senator or Representative stood up to raise unmitigated hell about this and vow to not stop.
The answer: None. Zero. And that includes Limbaugh’s love, Ted Cruz.
I find it rather interesting that the southern border has literally hundreds of illegals crossing it with impunity daily, but I am now “inadmissable to the USA without a $585 waiver” due to a youthful indiscretion 35 years ago that had never come up previously.
Suddenly *I* present some threat though I followed the rules, but these from south of the border are OK?
God help the USA.
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