Obama wants to speed removal of unaccompanied minors

President Barack Obama on Monday sent a letter to members of Congress requesting additional funds and added flexibility to more quickly remove unaccompanied minors caught crossing into the United States through the Southwest border.

Obama said the funds would be used to pay for an “aggressive deterrence strategy” that focuses on the removal and repatriation of unaccompanied children, as well to pay for additional immigration judges and attorneys to expedite the processing of cases involving those who crossed the border in recent weeks. White House officials told The New York Times over the weekend that Obama wants Congress to provide up to $2 billion in additional funds to stem the influx of unaccompanied minors coming to the U.S.

As many as 52,000 unaccompanied minors and 39,000 adults with children have been caught trying to cross the Southwest border illegally since last October. The vast majority of them come from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — three countries that are plagued by poverty and gang violence.

SEE ALSO: More unaccompanied minors arriving in the U.S. than ever before

In the letter to members of Congress, Obama specifically asked that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson be given additional authority to exercise discretion in processing the return and removal of unaccompanied minors from Central America. He also called for increasing penalties for human smugglers who bring children and other vulnerable immigrants across the border illegally.

Furthermore, Obama highlighted what his administration has already done to address the “urgent humanitarian situation” at the border, including setting up processing centers to house unaccompanied minors and providing them with attorneys. Administration officials are also working closely with Mexican and Central American officials to address the root causes of migration and to stem the flow of unaccompanied minors and adults with children coming to the U.S.

“While we are working across all of these channels, to execute a fully effective Government-wide strategy as the influx of migrants continues, we are eager to work with the Congress to ensure that we have the legal authorities to maximize the impact of our efforts,” Obama wrote in the letter.

The White House plans to submit more details of Obama’s request when members of Congress return from their July 4 recess next week.

Reaction to Obama’s request to address unaccompanied minors

House Speaker John Boehner’s spokesperson Michael Steel responded to Obama’s request on Monday, saying in a statement: “We appreciate the update from the White House, but there are too few details — at this point — to determine whether their proposal would be effective. We await the actual request.”

Meanwhile, child advocates and immigrant rights leaders said Monday they are “deeply concerned” about Obama’s request for additional funds to speed the deportations of unaccompanied minors arriving to the U.S. They worry that children will be sent back to dangerous situations.

SEE ALSO: Democrats call for action to address the unaccompanied minors crisis

Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), said she believes the Obama administration is “completely abandoning its responsibility and global leadership in protecting the most vulnerable by denying refugee and trafficked children fair and meaningful access to U.S. protection.”

Young said she worries that under the proposed changes, Border Patrol agents will be screening unaccompanied minors for protection risks even though she said they don’t have the expertise to be engaging with these children in this manner.

“How can we expect a child without their parent or legal guardian — who is 4, 5, 9, 12, or even 15 years old — to share their often traumatic experiences with a complete stranger under these circumstances?” Young said. “And will these children have representation by a pro bono lawyer? Without an attorney with the time and resources to help children make their cases, any claims of US protection of these children is a farce.”

“The administration is caving in to political pressure before it even attempts to do the right thing by these children,” Young added.

Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), expressed similar concerns.

“This is outrageous and unacceptable,” Hincapie said of Obama’s plan to speed the deportation of unaccompanied minors. “This latest move is simply part of the Obama administration’s failed strategy of trying to appease right wing policymakers. We’ve seen the administration use this erroneous logic for more than six years, resulting in the separation of more than two million families due to deportation. Continuing to use this flawed logic, this time to deport children, is unconscionable.”

SEE ALSO: In Guatemala, Joe Biden addresses rising flow of unaccompanied minors