Women, Children Numbers Increase in Illegal Border Crossings
Statistics higher than last year
POSTED: 08:18 PM CST Dec 03, 2015
UPDATED: 08:36 PM CST Dec 03, 2015
(Video at source link)
MCALLEN - Women and children continue to cross the river in the Rio Grande Valley. The numbers are now much higher than they were this time last year.
The Department of Homeland Security is tracking an “increase in the number of unaccompanied children and family units apprehended along the southwest border.”
The immigrant shelter at Sacred Heart Church in McAllen looks almost the same as it did one year ago. The difference is that last year, things were slowing down.
“Around this time last year, we started to see that the Border Patrol was doing different strategies and sending people to the detention facilities for families,” said Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities. “Things started to change and we weren't seeing that many here. That's not the case today.”
Sister Norma Pimentel said more than 1,500 people came through the shelter in both October and November.
Pimentel said the number is a shocking increase, since governments in the U.S. and in Mexico claim to be working to stop the crisis on the border.
“We hear that Mexico is doing their part in making sure that people are deported before they get to the border in the United States,” Pimentel said. “So, to see these big numbers is surprising.”
The stories of the border crossings remain the same.
“They wanted my son to join the gang,” said a woman who crossed the border illegally. The woman did not want to reveal her identity. Her 15-year-old son is on the run from violent gang members in El Salvador.
“They corner the young ones and they tell them they need to cooperate, that they know their family,” the woman said. “If they don't do it, they will kill them and their family.”
The woman said she knew Border Patrol would release her and her children. She didn’t know she’d get a GPS tracker on her leg to guarantee she will show up to immigration court.
“I knew they were putting bracelets on people, but I didn't know too much,” the woman said. “Some were saying that they put it on… based on your behavior. I didn't know they were putting it on everyone who was entering the country.”
The Department of Homeland Security sent CHANNEL 5 NEWS a statement saying they are working on public awareness in Central America to dispel any information. Sister Norma Pimentel said what they’re doing is great, but the root of the problem is violence.
“Whatever is occurring in their countries that's making the families come has not been addressed,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel said she doesn’t expect traffic to slow down in the Valley anytime soon.
Last month, CHANNEL 5 NEWS reported that Congress is considering sending money to Central America for ‘security and socioeconomic programs.” We should know more about that in the coming weeks. Count on us to follow up.
http://www.krgv.com/news/local-news/...sings/36786910
