Tomás R. Jiménez appeared on KCRW's "To the Point"
Is US Immigration the Latest Humanitarian Crisis?
More than 50,000 children, most alone and from Central America, have tried to cross the US-Mexican border since October. Officials are expecting that number to increase to 90,000 by the end of the year.
The flood of unaccompanied minors, often suffering from abuse or ill health, has overwhelmed border officials.
In response the US government is building a new holding facility for the children in McCallen, Texas. But questions remain about their legal status, and whether they should stay in this country or be repatriated.