U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Tuesday that it’s seeing a new spike of unaccompanied alien children coming across the southern U.S. border.
The flood of children coming from Central America created an emergency situation 18 months ago, when the federal government had to divert additional resources to deal with thousands of children and their families.
The crisis subsided somewhat in 2015, but now, CBP says the last few months have seen a new surge.
“Over the last several months, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection has noted an increase in the number of unaccompanied children and family units apprehended along the southwest border,” said the agency, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security. “DHS is closely monitoring this situation.”
October was the first month of fiscal year 2016, and according to CBP, apprehensions of unaccompanied alien children are up nearly 100 percent. CBP took in about 2,500 children in October 2014, and in October 2015, CBP took in nearly 5,000.
CBP said it’s seeing huge spikes in the number of children entering the country in most sectors of the southern border. If the current pace is maintained, it would mean fiscal year 2016 would rival the numbers seen in 2014.
The Obama administration responded to the crisis in the summer of 2014 by meeting with leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and getting them to inform their citizens that illegal immigrants would be returned to their home countries in most cases. CBP said that work continues today.
“DHS and the State Department are working together on public awareness campaigns to educate those considering making the dangerous journey northward,” the agency said. “Our messaging to Central American and Mexican communities emphasizes the dangers of the journey, dispels misinformation about our immigration policies, and underscores that those attempting to come here illegally are a top priority for removal.”
But Republicans have continued to argue that President Obama’s effort to go around Congress and let illegal immigrants stay and work in the U.S. continues to draw immigrants.
Just last week, the Obama administration said it wants the Supreme Court to review an appellate court decision that continued to freeze Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The administration wants to start easing the rules for illegal immigrants while the courts decide whether his executive actions are legal.
