Central America is in the midst of what the world recognizes as a humanitarian crisis.
Criminal gangs are taking over much of the region and a civilian was more likely to be
murdered in one of these countries over the last several years than to be killed in Iraq
during the height of the insurgency.
Those gangs are recruiting young teenagers, and if the teenager resists recruitment, will
threaten, injure or even kill the teenager or family members.
As a result, many teenagers and younger children are choosing to leave their home countries
and seek asylum elsewhere in the region.
They're going to Mexico, to Costa Rica, to Nicaragua, and many of them are going to the
United States.
Since October 1st of last year, 52,000 children unaccompanied by adults have been apprehended
by Border Patrol.
And that's not counting the tens of thousands of mothers who are bringing their children
into the United States to flee as well.
Of course having so many people coming into the country admittedly without papers is causing
a lot of controversy.
Part of this is because they've strained the existing system, which was built under the
Bush administration to deal with 6,000 to 8,000 kids coming across the border alone
every year, not 52,000.
But part of it's because some would like the border to be a forcefield, to automatically
refuse anyone who doesn't have the proper papers from being able to set foot in the
United States.
But there are very good reasons that the border isn't a forcefield.
U.S. law has an established process so that when someone comes across the border and doesn't
have papers but fears for their life there can be a way to determine if they're eligible
for asylum or another form of humanitarian relief.
But that's the system that's currently being overwhelmed.
So the question facing the United States right now is how far are we willing to go in the
name of immigration enforcement without undermining the humanitarian commitment that if you fear
persecution and you escape to America, we will try to find a place for you.