Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Source: http://www.npr.org/.rg/.
Current Statistics
Over 80,000 estimated undocumented minors in the U.S
Ages 4-17
92% increase in the number of immigrants 18 and younger who are
being arrested at the border with Mexico in comparison to the past
10 years
Some of the children are as young as 4. They have notes pinned
to their shirts giving authorities a name and phone number or
address of a relative in the United States.
Over 100 permanent shelters for unaccompanied minors
Pay $2000-$12,000 to cross over
Data
Source:
Cato.org
Data
Source: WOLA.org
Legal Processing
If children are from Mexico or Canada they are sent back to their
home countries
If not from border countries and they are caught at the border or
elsewhere they are taken to shelters some with horrible
conditions unless they are victims of trafficking
Federal law: minors cannot be held at a Border Patrol facility for
more than 72 hours
They have to be processed and then either sent to live with a
relative in the United States or released to a shelter operated by the
Office of Refugee Resettlement, under the Department of Health
and Human Services.
Benefits:
Work Permit
Driver license
Some health benefits
Social Security
Alternative Options
Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): Provides free legal services for kids being
seen in court
Childrens village in Queens, New York
Educational opportunities
Teaches them about their rights
Language training
Food, shelter, and medical services
Legal services
Heartland Alliance
Possible Solutions?
Lobbying
Writing letter to your state representatives and congressmen
Awareness
Comprehensive immigration reform
Activism
Being an ally
Works Cited
Basu, Moni. "Daniel's Journey: How Thousands of Children Are Creating a Crisis in America."
CNN.
CNN, 9 June 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2016.
Farmer, Ann. "Under Age and Alone, Immigrants See a Softer Side of Detention." The New
York Times.
The New York Times, 14 July 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2016.