LULAC Calls for More Federal Resources to Improve Response to Increasing Numbers of Unaccompanied Minors at U.S.–Mexico Border
December 16, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha, Jr. issued the following statement in response to reports that indicate an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors once again crossing the U.S.–Mexico border.
“Last year’s historic numbers of unaccompanied minors fleeing rising violence in Central America for the United States left thousands of young people in severely overcrowded and unsanitary detention centers for months. Recent reports have indicated that we are in the midst of another surge as the number of young people crossing the southern border continues to increase. According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 10,500 children crossed the U.S.–Mexico border during the months of October and November. The report further noted that the migration was due to the same drug and gang-related violence that caused 10,600 minors to cross the border in June of 2014. During that time period, LULAC conducted site visits at detention centers in Texas and witnessed the deplorable and inhumane conditions thousands of minors were living in.
"The United States must do a better job to ensure that these minors are dealt with in a humane manner. LULAC strongly supports the President’s request for an additional $400 million in contingency funds in order to respond to the unaccompanied minors seeking protection in the U.S. As we continue to monitor the situation, we urge Congress to put aside partisan politics and focus on improving our response to this growing humanitarian situation.”
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org.