Tens of thousands of Latin American children hoping to enter the United States arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border this spring. The U.S. government is quickly building emergency shelters to house the wave of unaccompanied minors, or children traveling without adults, but they are having trouble keeping up. The Biden administration says the flow of migrants is typical, although some lawmakers disagree. Listen to learn why there are so many Central American migrants at the border and how the U.S. government handles children who migrate alone.
Story Length: 3:52
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July 29, 2019
5:10
A policy adopted by the Customs and Border Protection agency known as “metering” has significantly reduced the number of immigrants being processed daily at the U.S.-Mexico border. While the agency says that they cannot keep up with the large numbers of asylum seekers, migrants and immigration reform advocates say that this slower processing speed causes serious problems. Listen to hear about how metering has affected those seeking asylum in the U.S. through its southern border.
Read MoreDecember 3, 2018
6:01
A large group of Central American migrants fleeing violence and seeking asylum in the United States have been gathering at the Mexican border as they await processing of their applications. Tensions erupted recently in Tijuana, Mexico during a protest by migrants impatient with the process, and some made a run for the U.S. border during the unrest. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers fired tear gas on the migrants and temporarily closed the border. Listen to this story to learn more about reactions to these events and ideas about how to improve the situation.
Read MoreJune 14, 2018
2:33
Illegal immigration from Mexico and Central America to the United States is currently a major political issue. Politicians and citizens have strong opinions on both sides. In order to help people better understand what it’s like to attempt crossing the border, a Mexican film director created a virtual reality exhibit that allows users to experience it for themselves. Based on the true stories of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally, the director hopes this exhibit will foster more compassion and empathy. Listen to learn more about this project and its aims.
Read MoreMay 16, 2018
3:10
About 150 migrants have reached the entrance to a U.S. border station in Tijuana, Mexico. They came in a caravan from Central America, sleeping on the tops of trains to escape violence in their own countries. They are applying for political asylum, but U.S. officials say they can only take a limited number of asylum applications. The United States law is intended to provide a safe haven for people who can prove they are fleeing persecution in their home countries. Listen to hear more about migrants seeking asylum in the United States.
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