In the News

For Immigrant Children Crossing Border, Fears Meet Court Backlog

NPR (July 14, 2014)

Audie Cornish talks with Michelle Abarca, a supervising attorney with the Americans for Immigrant Justice, on how the surge in unaccompanied children has impacted her organization. Abarca also recommends ways of coping with the influx.

Why they come: To escape violence

Honduran city has highest murder rate in the world • Local businesswoman setting up shelter for children

El Paso Inc. (July 13, 2014)

A successful El Paso businesswoman and her husband who already have a facility used for housing immigrant children hopes to use a former corrections facility in order to be able to house additional children seeking asylum.

Meet a mother in D.C. who risked having her kids smuggled to her from Honduras

The Washington Post (July 13, 2014)

This article describes an interview with a Honduras woman, who immigrated to the US and was forced to leave her children behind. In the interview, the woman describes her experiences, including her finally being reunited with her children.

Governors Divided on How to Handle Border Crisis

Time (July 13, 2014)

The nation’s governors appear united in that they believe that something needs to be done about the border crisis, but remain divided on how to proceed during The National Governor’s Association meeting in Nashville during weekend of 7/11-7/13.

O’Malley: U.S. shouldn’t send immigrant children back to ‘certain death’

CNN (July 11, 2014)

Maryland Governor and potential 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, Martin O’Malley, advocate for sympathy for Central American children immigrants, arguing that turning children away without giving them due process would be un-American.

America’s Response to Child Refugees on the Border is Downright Shameful

Moyers & Company (July 11, 2014)

This article discusses the role that the US has played in the immigrant/refugee crisis and the government’s “refusal” to provide necessary resources for refugees.

Behind the Border Crisis

On the Media (July 2014)

Audio and transcript recording of discussion regarding what is going on at the border and going into further detail than what is described by the media.

Not All Kids are Equal: Central American Kids get Court Dates, Mexicans get the Boot

Fusion TV (July 10, 2014)

Because the discussion around immigration has been focused on Central American youth, it has caused discussion of Mexican youth immigrants and the dangers they face to be overlooked. Additionally, Mexican youth are almost automatically deported, whereas Central American youth are allowed to stay until their hearings take place.

U.S. sued for not providing attorneys to children in immigration court

Los Angeles Times (July 9, 2014)

Immigrant advocacy groups file class-action lawsuit in Seattle, alleging that the government is violating due process by allowing some children to navigate the complex immigration legal system alone.

How the US’s Foreign Policy Created an Immigrant Refugee Crisis on Its Own Southern Border

The Nation (July 9, 2014)

Discusses the ways in which US Foreign policy have created an and immigrant refugee crisis for immigrants fleeing from Honduras.