The White House is expanding a campaign that aims to dispel the rumors about the rules surrounding the deportation of young immigrants in the United States and Central America. Its action is part of the effort to cut down the increasing numbers of unaccompanied minors crossing the border into the country.
Administration officials are working in conjunction with foreign leaders to develop public service announcements and reach out to the Latino media in a concerted effort to fight false information that has caused the massive rise in dangerous border crossings by immigrants of late. Vice-president Joe Biden will be heading to Guatemala later this week to coordinate a regional response alongside Central American leaders.
The vice-president will be making a public statement on the dangers of attempting the trek north and will point out that the administration’s attempts to find a way to stop deporting young people who came to the United States when they were children – via the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ‒ does not extend to new arrivals. Officials say that correcting misconceptions is vital to fixing the problem.
The surge of new arrivals could cause political fallout in the attempt to pass immigration reform legislation. President Obama has hinted that he will amend some immigration policies himself if the Republicans do not take action this summer; however, he could be in for even more backlash if the current crisis continues.