The number of young migrants crossing the US border illegally has escalated over the last year and the Obama Administration has declared a new method based on humanitarian grounds to deal with the issue.
The influx is referred to as a humanitarian crisis and the administration has decided to aid young migrants who cross the US border illegally without any accompanying guardians.
Jeh Johnson, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s administrator are governing the new approach to integrate efforts from federal agencies in tackling the issue.
Administration officials noted that a 90% rise is observed in the number of immigrants entering the US illegally. The illegal immigrants are under the age of 18 and most of them are young girls and young children under 13 years of age. Thus, the administration wants to make sure that all the educational, housing and medical needs of these children are addressed by transferring them from border control facilities to the Department of Health and Human Services’ facilities.
According to Officials, around 1000 young illegal migrants are being provided shelter at Lackland Air Force base located in San Antonio. The other facility is expected to be opened at Ventura County, California, to accommodate around 600 children. The children can reside for 30 to 45 days in these facilities.
