The Obama administration has expanded its already-questionable program to bring in more illegal alien children to the United States, announcing in a recent press release it will now allow illegal alien adults to be fast-tracked to the United States via its Central American Minors (CAM) program.
First launched under President Obama’s executive actions on immigration in 2014, the CAM program was originally touted as a safe alternative for Central American children trying to get to the United States via human smugglers. Under the program, Central American parents living in the United States, including those who are here illegally but are being withheld from removal, could apply to have their child brought to the United States as a refugee or a parolee, provided that child was under 21 years old and could pass a medical and background check.
The program failed to gain much traction, however, as the more lengthy process proved less appealing and slightly more restrictive than simply crossing into the United States from Mexico. Only about 9,500 applications have been received since the program launched, according to the most recent data.
But now, the Obama administration says it will expand its alien children program to include parents of Central American kids living in the U.S., related “caregivers” (i.e., miscellaneous family members) and any children older than 21 -- basically, anyone but actual children.
A press release from the Department of Homeland Security reiterates the administration’s commitment to “resettlement opportunities” for Central Americans:
As the United States has made clear in the past, we are committed to protecting Central Americans at risk and expanding resettlement opportunities in the region. The steps taken today, and over the past year, are another example of the creative solutions being taken across the federal government to make progress on this issue. Today’s actions will not solve this challenge alone, but are steps in the right direction and are a further example of the United States’ continued commitment to this ongoing situation.
The Center for Immigration Studies noted Monday that the U.S. is already sending about $750 million in foreign aid to Central American countries, as well as spending about $948 million annually on the Unaccompanied Alien Children program. American has also given about $3 million in U.N. contributions for Central American refugees. Given the amount of taxpayer dollars already being allocated for Central Americans, CIS points out the real reason behind the CAM program expansion: agenda-driven “family reunification.” CIS notes:
In other words, individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras who made it to the U.S. – illegally for the most part – can now have their extended family members flown to them with U.S. taxpayers' money. And those on the other side, who considered crossing here illegally, could be spared the trouble and given legal status. This seems to be this administration's idea of enforcing immigration laws