Currently in the United States there has been an ongoing issue of undocumented aliens entering U.S. borders primarily through states like California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Within these undocumented immigrants, many children have been among the population of people traveling from Central America to the United States. According to Vox, in 2011 the number of undocumented kids crossing U.S. borders was about 4,059. Since October 1, 2013 this number has grown by 92% to produce an estimate of 47,017 children traveling to the U.S. without parents.
Why the sudden increase?
As many people would like to blame the current administration for creating a H.O.V. (High Occupancy Vehicle) lane for Central Americans, lets recognize the real crisis at hand. The conditions in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras (3 of the largest Central American immigration pools) are simply unfavorable. According to Reuters, in 2012 the average murder rate in El Salvador was 14 persons per day! Due to a Civil War 1980-1992 (where 70,000 citizens were killed), El Salvador’s government has been trying to recuperate from the historical violence in it’s country. Much of the violence in El Salvador today stems from gang violence where children have no choice but to leave! As for Guatemala & Honduras, these low-socioeconomic countries have been trying to recover primarily from Hurricane Mitch the second most deadly Hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere.
Due to all of the aforementioned incidents and circumstances above, the United States in 1990, under George Bush Sr., adopted a Humanitarian Relief Grant entitled TPS ( Temporary Protected Status). Under TPS ruling immigrants aren’t given citizenship, however, they are given workers authorization and placement to be aided and helped in their time of need. Essentially, TPS means no one from a designated TPS country (i.e. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Haiti) can be deported immediately once present in the United States. Under TPS laws, the United States can end this Humanitarian Relief Grant once circumstances have returned to normal, but obviously that doesn’t seem to be anytime soon. With that being said, with an increase of Humanitarian crises occurring in Central America, the rate of kids trying to find a safe haven (such as the U.S.) will inevitably increase.
Remember, a child doesn’t asked to be born into this world, he/she is born then survives based on the situation/circumstances in their given society. This means, if a child has two parents that respective minor in most cases will be guided by his parents. If the minor’s parents are together the guidance of this youth may be split unevenly. If the minor’s parents aren’t present, he/she may be under the guidance of a guardian or older sibling. The point is, a child is only going to do something that he/she has learned via their society and under the governing of his/her guardian.
In Central America, these minors are fleeing because of the horrible circumstances in which their parents or guardians are paying smugglers thousands of dollars to get their kids to the United States. Is this right? Liberal thinkers would agree, Conservatives…maybe not so much. However, it really doesn’t matter what one thinks because the law of the land upholds any views. And as mentioned before, TPS is designated to protect these minors given this unfortunate situation.
So where does President Barack Obama come to play?
Well it’s no surprise, President Barack Obama has been the largest contributor of budget deficits in the history of the United States ( Stimulus package, tax cuts, ObamaCare, Recession Bailout). Next is George W. Bush ( Bank Bailouts, Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, War on Terror). Thirdly is Ronald Reagan ( Expanded Medicare, tax cuts, increase defense spending). As a result of President Obama’s budget deficit, conservatives do not agree with the current debt ceiling that has been rising in the United States. Meaning, any unnecessary spending the President makes from here on out will be highly scrutinized to protect U.S. “tax dollars”.
So here is where the paradox arises.
Many Americans want the Obama administration to deal with the Central American immigrant crisis. However, when the President tries to pass a $3.7 Billion Immigration Bill it gets stopped in the House of Congress (does not pass) because Republicans will say it is too high and not as specific as they want. Now this definitely holds some truth, $3.7 Billion is a lot of money, in which the debt ceiling will possibly be increased even more so that the U.S. doesn’t default on the debt ceiling. However, with the 1990 TPS bill protecting Central American minors, without a new current bill passed, minors from Central America will always be protected!
Now, of course Republicans state, ” well Obama could make a bill that budgets the transportation of the illegal immigrants back to their lands”. But the problem with this notion is simply unethical in liberal views such as Obama. At the end of the day, President Obama is a Democrat and has a liberal way of thinking especially when it comes to those of children (i.e. early education for all young children in America). Expecting the President, a liberal, to send minors back to their homeland in a time of crisis is like asking America’s top 1% to increase their taxes; IT WON’T HAPPEN! Therefore, the finger pointing and blame game should cease until a bipartisan bill wants to get passed through the House and the Senate. If Congress wants to keep shutting down the President’s bill, well TPS will protect these Central American minors.
Honestly, regardless of social views, we at Product of Society just want people to understand these kids (from Central America) are in a situation they didn’t put themselves in. Moreover, as a nation that was created on the backs of immigrants from many nations, let’s try to help these minors get a fair shot at life instead of looking at them as a “tax avoiders”. TPS has been around for over 14 years so blaming the current administration for current immigration problems holds little to substantial weight.
Unfortunately, not everyone will see our views the same, and that’s what makes the United States a people of diverse thoughts and notions. However, from a moral Christian standpoint throughout all this whole Humanitarian crisis, we have one question for those of you who think these minors should be sent back:
– ” What would Jesus do”?
Product Of Society 