TAKE THOSE ON THESE JOURNEYS.
AE MINUTE
EAMON?
>> TODAY NBC NEWS HAS LEARNED
THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
PLANS TO KEEP THE CAP FOR
REFUGEE ADMISSIONS AT 15,000.
THIS ACCORDING TO A SENIOR
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL.
IT IS AN HISTORICALLY LOW LEVEL
SET BY THE PREVIOUS TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION AND COMES AS THE
WHITE HOUSE TRIES TO TACKLE THE
SURGE OF MIGRANTS ILLEGALLY
CROSSING AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER.
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE MORE THAN
20,000 UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT
CHILDREN IN U.S. CUSTODY.
AND SOME PARENTS TRYING TO FIND
THEIR CHILDREN SAY THEY ARE
RECEIVING LITTLE INFORMATION.
ONE MOTHER TOOK IT INTO HER OWN
HANDS TO FIND HER SON AND NBC
NEWS GOT AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT
HER FIGHT TO FIND HIM AND THEIR
REUNION.
NBC NEWSS DASHYA BURNS IS LIVE
IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, WITH THIS
EXCLUSIVE AND COMPELLING STORY.
DACIA, WALK US THROUGH WHAT
HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: EAMON, WEVE ALL
SEEN THOSE HEARTBREAKING INGING
OF CHILDREN IN CUSTODY.
IMAGINE BEING ONE OF THEIR
PARENTS.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, WE MET A
MOTHER NAME ANDREAS FROM
VENEZUELA AND FLED HER HOME
COUNTRY AFTER RECEIVING THREATS
ON HER LIFE.
HER LITTLE BOY SOON FOLLOWED,
BUT THEY WERE SEPARATED WHEN
THEY CROSSED THE BORDER AND YUAN
PHILLIPPE WAS DEEMED AN
UNACCOMPANIED MINOR.
FOR A WEEK, AUNDREA HAD NO IDEA
WHERE HER SON WAS.
SHE MADE DESPERATE PHONE CALLS
AND WENT TO BORDER PATROL
HEADQUARTERS IN TUCSON WHERE SHE
THOUGHT HER SON MIGHT BE.
SHE FLAGGED DOWN POLICE CARS,
BUT LUCHLTULTIMATELY RETURNED BA
HOME TO CALIFORNIA WITH NO
INFORMATION.
SHE THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM
CBD TO CALM DOWN HER CHILD
BECAUSE HE WOULDNT STOP CRYING
AND REFUSED TO GET ON A BUS.
SHE HAD THAT PHONE CALL WITH
HIM.
SHE THEN RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL
FROM HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
TELLING HER THAT HER SON
WOULDNT STOP CRYING, WOULDNT
EAT, WOULDNT SLEEP.
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW DISTRAUGHT
THAT MADE THIS MOTHER.
SO SHE REACHED OUT TO AN
ADVOCACY GROUP CALLED EVERY LAST
ONE THAT HELPS REUNITE FAMILIES,
AND AS SOON AS SHE LEARNED THAT
HER SON WAS IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA,
SHE AND THE HEAD OF THAT
ORGANIZATION GOT ON A PLANE AND
WENT TO ADVOCATE FOR HIS RELEASE
IN PERSON.
THAT IS WHERE WE MET THEM AND I
WANT YOU TO HEAR AUNDREAS EXPERIENCE IN HER OWN WORDS.
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GET THOSE
PHONE CALLS, HEAR YOUR SON
CRYING ON THE OTHER END OF THE
LINE? WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE
WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE
FOR YOU?
>> AND EAMON, IT WAS A
HEARTBREAKING, EMOTIONAL DAY,
BUT AT THE VERY END OF IT, THIS
IS WHAT HAPPENED. WATCH.
>> HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
>> AND EAMON, AUNDREA IS ONE OF
THE LUCKY PARENTS IN THIS.
THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE WHO ARE
STILL FIGHTING THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT IS FRANKLY OVERWHELMED.
THAT IS FRANKLY OVERWHELMED.
WE SAW THIS FIRSTHAND WHEN I
JOINED A GAUTUATEMALAEN FATHER A
FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF, WE
LISTENED TO HOLD MUSIC.
AND WHEN HE EVENTUALLY GOT IN
TOUCH WITH AN OPERATOR, HE WAS
TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT
DISCLOSE HIS GIRLS LOCATION AND
TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROCESS THAT
REQUIRES, QUOTE, PATIENCE AND