Thousands of children are making the perilous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border alone. The government estimates that between 60,000 and 90,000 will come in 2014-- more than twice as many as last year and three times as many as in 2012.
Many of these children try to get to the U.S. in order to escape dangerous conditions in their hometowns.
Nodwin, an 11-year-old migrant from Honduras, says he came because his hometown has been overrun by criminal gangs.
“Big people force the children to sell bad things, and if they don’t do it, they rape them or they kill them,” he said.
Others are sent by their parents who think that the children will receive a free education and have better job options in the United States.
Most children are caught by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency and housed in temporary shelters that are quickly filling up. Many just turn themselves in.
After they arrive in the U.S. and are reunited with a parent or guardian, they usually end up in a juvenile immigration courtroom to see if they qualify for asylum or a visa, which can take years. If they don’t, they’re supposed to be deported.
Opponents to immigration reform say that letting the children stay creates an incentive for more people to try to enter the country.
Warm up questions
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What are some reasons that someone would want to leave their country and try to start a new life in another?
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How can we show compassion for immigrants who are new to the United States?
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What motivation might the journalist have had to tell this story?
Discussion questions
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Why are children making the dangerous journey from their homes in Central American countries to the United States?
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Why do you think that gangs are specifically targeting children under 13?
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What role does the commerce of illegal drugs play in this story?
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What dangers do children face on their journey to the U.S. and what and challenges are they confronted with when they arrive?
Writing prompt
In the story it was reported that the number of children migrating to the U.S. alone has gone from 13,625 in 2012 to 24,668 in 2013 with the expectation that anywhere from 60,000 to 90,000 in 2014. Why do you think that there has been such a huge increase? How can we handle this increase humanely? Make sure to use evidence from the video and text to support your claims.
