Over the past two years, immigration journalists have noted that children who have had lawyers received more favorable results in Immigration Court. In 2013 for example 78% of children with attorneys received permission to stay in the United States; those children without attorneys were only approved 10% of the time and more than 57,000 have been arrested at the border up to now, and it is expected to grow to 90,000 by the year’s end. Since many members of Congress want to expedite deportations, it is even more essential that these children have competent legal representation.
The President has stated that he is confronted with humanitarian issues because many of these children have fled from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico because of terrorism. In these countries there has been extensive traffic in narcotics and as a result excessive violence and kidnappings. Families from Central America fear for the safety of their children and not unfrequently dispatch them to the U.S./Mexican border through coyotes to try to help them cross over into the U.S. This has resulted in a highly dangerous situation at the border. Even though these children have been threatened and their families are trying to get them into the U.S., still they have to show a credible fear of persecution in their countries. This required proof would require the help of an experienced attorney.
