Fixing This Immigration Loophole Would Help Address Child Migrants

Photo: Paul Hennessy/Polaris/Newscom

In the midst of Congress’ ongoing division over immigration reform, the White House confirmed Tuesday that it is developing another immigration package to be sent to Capitol Hill.

One key component of this package involves closing a loophole included in the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

Passed in 2008 and named after the great English abolitionist, this law requires that any unaccompanied alien minor from a non-neighboring country (i.e. any nation other than Mexico and Canada) be granted the same protection as a victim of human trafficking upon apprehension.

Once granted these protections, the unaccompanied minors are handed over to the Department of Health and Human Services and generally released into the U.S., making them much harder to deport. This has led to thousands of unaccompanied children—largely from Central America—being allowed to stay in the U.S. rather than being returned to their families in their home countries.

Read the rest from Paul Fredrick HERE.

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