The Unaccompanied Minors Border Crisis

Since October 2013, more than 66,000 unaccompanied minors have fled Central America for the U.S., a number expected to continue growing steadily through the end of the year. So far, the U.S. response has focused on securing the border with Mexico and urging the three countries to do more at home. This approach falls short two ways: it doesn't do nearly enough to change the conditions in the region and thus the minds of those who want to flee their countries, and it does nothing to address the reasons people are fleeing. A border-only response puts Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador at risk of becoming failed states, further endangering regional stability, and driving an even greater number of migrants to the United States.

Our response must get at the root causes of this crisis: unprecedented levels of violence in the countries coupled with dire poverty and lack of economic opportunity there.

The U.S. needs a clear strategy that improves the security situation and gives life to the three economies.The U.S. must be part of the answer in the region and recognize that the crisis is not solvable solely at the border with short-term panaceas. We cannot expect the three Central American governments to turn the situation around quickly. They cannot do it alone.

As difficult as it may be, lawmakers and the administration need to look beyond the fence in this crisis. If not, we risk ignoring a region that faces rapid descent into failed-state status—not halfway across the world—but right next door.

See Peter Billerbeck's recent op-ed in Roll Call.