.png)
 |
| Source: www.capsweb.org |
McALLEN, Texas — In the back hall of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, women picked through tables heaped with baby clothes and diapers. Some munched on sandwiches. Others showered or napped on cots in air-conditioned tents in the parking lot.
Each time a new woman walked in, immigration documents in hand, the dozen or so church volunteers dropped what they were doing and applauded.
The women — some pregnant, most young and all of them with children — are part of a rising influx of immigrant moms who are flooding Texas' southern border with Mexico, compounding the crisis of unaccompanied minors.
"I just want a better life for my daughter," said Brenda Vasquez, 24, who came to this border town with her 4-year-old daughter, Mariana Rodriguez, from the La Libertad region of El Salvador. "I want her to have a future."
The unprecedented influx of immigrant youth overwhelming federal shelters has captured most of the headlines and roiled debate in Washington over how to solve the crisis. More than 52,000 unaccompanied minors, mostly from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, have illegally crossed over this fiscal year, nearly four times the number two years ago.
But an equally alarming — and less publicized — tide of women from those same countries are crossing over each day, children in tow. They're employing the same strategies as the unaccompanied minors: crossing the Rio Grande near McAllen and turning themselves in to the nearest Border Patrol unit.
Border Patrol statistics show it's not just children crossing. The number of all immigrants — men, women and children — other than Mexicans arrested at the Southwest border has soared from 46,997 in fiscal year 2011 to nearly 150,000 last fiscal year.
CATCH AND RELEASE
Because there is only one federal family immigration shelter in operation, in Pennsylvania, women from Central America who illegally cross the border with a juvenile are arrested but then typically are released until their court hearing, said Linda Brandmiller, a San Antonio immigration attorney who represents many of the families. The moms can also be immediately deported by Border Patrol, but that, historically, is a rarer occurrence, she said.
In essence, women with children are afforded the same immigration practice as unaccompanied minors — release pending court hearing. Federal officials are scrambling to outfit a law enforcement training facility in Artesia, N.M., to house some of the overflow immigrant families.
Read the full story: www.usatoday.com
Follow Larry Elder on Twitter
"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comment Policy:
The author of this blog will attempt to engage in conversation via the comments section whenever possible and recognize the 24/7 nature of the internet. Moderating and posting of comments will occur during regular operational hours Monday through Friday. Comments submitted after hours or on weekends will be read and posted as early as possible, however admins and/or the author is unable to commit to replying to every comment posted.
This is a moderated blog. That means all comments will be reviewed before posting. In addition, it is expected that participants will treat each other, as well as the author and admin, with respect. Comments that contain vulgar or abusive language; personal attacks of any kind will not be posted. Comments that are spam or that promote services or products will not be posted. It is requested that all comments remain on topic.
The Elder Statement blog does not guarantee or warrant that any information posted by individuals on this blog is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. The Elder Statement blog may not be able to verify, does not warrant or guarantee, and assumes no liability for anything posted on this website by any other person. The Elder Statement blog does not endorse, support or otherwise promote any private or commercial entity or the information, products or services contained on those Web sites that may be reached through links on our Web site.
To protect individual privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include phone numbers, addresses or email details in the body of a comment. Such information will result in removal of a comment.
Thank you for your attention.
The Elder Statement