>>> THIS MORNING, THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION IS FACING A BIG
CHALLENGE, WHAT TO DO WITH THE
THOUSANDS OF MIE GGRANTS SHOWINP
EVERY DAY AT THE BORDER WITH
MEXICO HOPING TO START A NEW
LIFE HERE.
WHAT TO DO WITH THE CHILDREN.
MANY ARE COMING TO THE UNITED
STATES WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS.
THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST NEWS
CONFERENCE DOMINATED BY THE
ISSUE ON THURSDAY AS NEW IMAGES
EMERGE OF CHILDREN PACKED INTO
CROWDED BORDER FACILITIES.
IS THIS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, A
TYPICAL MIGRANT SURGE OR
NEITHER?
GABE GUTIERREZ HAS BEEN COVERING
THE BORDER FOR YEARS.
HE HAS THE LATEST IN OUR SUNDAY
FOCUS.
>> IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY.
>> Reporter: ABOVE THE RIO
GRANDE VALLEY.
31 IN THAT GROUP?
>> IN THIS GROUP.
>> Reporter: WE SAW GROUP AFTER
GROUP CROSSING INTO THE UNITED
STATES.
>> THREE CHILDREN AND THE REST
ADULTS.
ALL DAY LONG.
>> Reporter: THE BORDER PATROL
SAYS IT ENCOUNTERED AN AVERAGE
OF 5,000 UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
A DAY.
IT'S THE CHILDREN COMING WITHOUT
PATIEN
PARENTS THAT ARE STRETCHING IT
TO ITS LIMITS.
THEY ALERTED THEM THAT THE GROUP
WAS HERE.
THE BORDER PATROL ARE WALKING
DOWN THE ROAD WHERE THEY WILL BE
PICKED UP.
ONCE THEY ARE PICKED UP, THEY
ARE BROUGHT TO TWO KINDS OF
FACILITIES.
BORDER PATROL STATIONS FOR
PROCESSING AND TEMPORARY HOUSING
RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES.
THIS PAST WEEK, A TEXAS
CONGRESSMAN LEAKED PHOTOS OF AN
OVERCROWDED FACILITY.
LEGAL PROCESSING IS SUPPOSED TO
TAKE LESS THAN 72 HOURS.
IN MANY CASES, IT'S TAKING MUCH
LONGER.
THAT'S BECAUSE THE TEMPORARY
HOUSING WHERE CHILDREN ARE
SUPPOSED TO GO NEXT IS FULL.
WE TOURED ONE OF THOSE HHS
FACILITIES IN TEXAS.
THE BIDE ADMINISTRATION IS
SCRAMBLING TO OPEN MORE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY AS IT INSISTS
THERE'S NO CRISIS AND SURGES ARE
SEASONAL.
>> IT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE
SOLITARY YEAR.
>> Reporter: THIS YEAR BETWEEN
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, THERE WAS
A 28% RISE IN APPREHENSIONS.
IN 2019, THE INCREASE WAS 31
PP
MIGRANTS DELAYED THEIR TRIPS
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
MANY REPUBLICANS ARGUE THAT
PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DECISION TO
ALLOW UNACCOMPANIED MINORS TO
STAY IN THE U.S. IS MOTIVATING
M
MORE MIGRANTS TO RUSH HERE.
A WOMEN WE MET AT A SHELTER IN
MEXICO DID TELL US SHE HOPED THE
PRESIDENT WOULD HELP HER FAMILY.
OTHERS TOLD US THEY KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT HIM.
AS THAT DEBATE RAGES IN
WASHINGTON, AT THE BORDER
THERE'S AN ASTOUNDING HUMAN
TOLL.
A 9-YEAR-OLD DIED WHILE TRYING
TO CROSS THE RIO GRANDE.
HER MOTHER FROM GUATEMALA IN
AGONY AS SHE SPOKE WITH
TELEMUNDO.
SHE SAYS, I LOVED HER.
SHE WAS MY PRINCESS.
SHE WAS EVERYTHING TO ME.
THAT IS THE DEEPER STORY.
BEYOND THE LABELS, POLITICS AND
UP INS, THE BATTLE AT THE BORDER
HAS FEW EASY ANSWERS.
>> GABE, IT'S HAUNTING TO HEAR
THAT MOTHER SPEAK LIKE THAT.
TALK ABOUT WHAT'S DRIVING THE
MOST RECENT SURGE IN MIGRANTS
COMING ACROSS THE BORDER NOW?
>> Reporter: THERE'S SO MANY
ROOT CAUSES IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
VIOLENCE AND CORRUPTION.
PANDEMIC-RAVAGED ECONOMIES.
TWO HURRICANES THAT TORE THROUGH
THE REGION LAST YEAR.
AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN
EBBS AND FLOWS IN IMMIGRATION
FOR DECADES.
IT WAS HIGHER IN THE '80s.
THEN THE BORDER PATROL EXPANDED.
IN 2014, THERE WAS A HUGE SURGE
IN UNACCOMPANIED MINORS AND
SPIKES DURING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION.
NOW, HUNDREDS OF MIGRANT
CHILDREN OVERNIGHT ARRIVING AT
THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
SCRAMBLES TO FIND MORE SPACE.
AS ONE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL
TOLD ME, AT THE BORDER, THE MORE
THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY
STAY THE SAME.