Unrelated children ease immigrants' passage north to US border

In November 2018 reports emerged that immigrants heading north from Central America to the US border are more and more often ensuring they are accompanied by children because "family units" are known to be less likely to be deported, at least temporarily, and smugglers charge less than half as much when a minor is in the group because their risk is less. Some parents have given their children - sometimes for cash - to other adults such as a relative, godparent, or, sometimes, unrelated person. Between April and September Customs and Border Patrol had separated 170 such groups after determining that the adult and child travelling together were not related. The economic, social, and legal factors creating this situation are complex.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/for-central-americans-children-open-a-path-to-the-us--and-bring-a-discount/2018/11/19/baf3b092-e6ce-11e8-bbdb-72fdbf9d4fed_story.html

Writer: Joshua Partlow and Nick Miroff

Publication: Washington Post

Publication date: 2019-11-23