The decision to leave one’s home country and relocate to the United States is not an easy one to make. Furthermore, depending on their resources and opportunities waiting for them in states like Louisiana, some immigrants must go through rough and lengthy battles to enter the country. This could lead to immigrants illegally entering the nation because the legal channels are not readily available to them. Although the immigrant could face deportation due to their lack of status, a refugee might have an opportunity to prevent or defer deportation based on the details of their situation.
Due to the recent surge or children immigrants from Central America and South America crossing the boarder into the United States, there have been many concerns regarding deportation or transferring of these children in Louisiana and states across the nation. A 14-year-old boy from Honduras stated that both of his parents were dead and his motivation to travel to the United States was to locate his aunt who was living in New Orleans.
Whether it is to reunite with family members or seek a better life, these young immigrants face several issues when arriving to the nation. Furthermore, legislators in the U.S. are unsure how to properly address this recent surge because each child has their own story and possible claims for remaining in the country.
Just like any immigrant seeking to gain status and remain in the United States, these children deserve a hearing and a chance to fight against deportation. This could also allow them to gain refugee status and seek asylum to remain in the country.
Although immigrants of different nations face numerous problems, the U.S. is not able to solve them all, even with the passage of U.S. immigration laws. Some immigrants might benefit from certain actions such as seeking asylum. No matter what action they take or if they are a child or an adult, an immigrant should understand the rights afforded to them as well as their options. This will allow them to take appropriate action.
Source: Saratogian Columns, “Legitimate refugees should not be deported,” Cynthia Tucker, July 21, 2014