A summit with no surprises

Beyond good intentions, it cannot be said that the summit among four presidents on the child immigration issue was successful.

Last Friday, Barack Obama hosted three Central American presidents in the White House—Salvador Sánchez Cerén of El Salvador, Otto Pérez Molina of Guatemala and Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras—to address the child immigration crisis.

Statements after the meeting were not enthusiastic. Obama reaffirmed that children who have no proper cases to stay in the U.S. would be repatriated. The Central American presidents shot back and said this country shares responsibility for the crisis because of the large demand for drugs and its immediate effect on the violence that grips their countries and forces their fellow citizens to migrate north.

Meanwhile, a report indicates that Central Americans continue riding the train known as the Beast, and it does not look like they will stop. Another report by the UN Refugee Commission found that the support system for the thousands of deportees has collapsed, not only in Central America but also in Mexico.

What will happen with the immigration crisis?

Obama depends on Congress to obtain resources and tackle this crisis, while Central American countries demand more money to fight violence and prevent migration.

Immigrants waiting to normalize their immigration status are caught in the middle.

Beyond the summit, what we urgently need are concrete, immediate measures to protect these minors, not just in this country, but also in their home countries.

Now more than ever, it is time for action