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Transcript/ScriptUSAGM SHARE
((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US Immigration-Central American Minors
HEADLINE: Biden Administration Seeks to Expand Central American Minors Program
TEASER: 15 Republican states have sued to shut down the program that reunites families
PUBLISHED AT: 4/01/2022 at 10 am
BYLINE: Aline Barros
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
VIDEO EDITOR: Henry Hernandez
SCRIPT EDITORS: Jepsen, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Adam Greenbaum, AP, Reuters, TEAMS
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:01
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO)) [[A program that allows children from Central America into the U.S. to safely rejoin their parents has been reopened and expanded by the Biden administration. But 15 Republican states are attempting to shut down the program because they believe it encourages undocumented immigrants to cross the border. VOA immigration reporter Aline Barros has the story.]]
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Rosemary Silva Pimentel))
Rosemary Pimentel is from El Salvador. Her husband is living legally in the U.S. They have been separated for almost 20 years.
((end courtesy))
In 2015, Pimentel’s husband learned of a program known as CAM that could bring his wife and daughter to America.
((Rosemary Pimentel, CAM Recipient)) ((IN SPANISH))
“He sent an application. Then, some time passed, and U.S. officials called me and said we would have to go to San Salvador for the program."
((NARRATOR))
Pimentel is talking about the Central American Minors Program. It allows parents and legal guardians who are in the U.S. legally to bring children from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to America. The program is part of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
((Radio Track: Linda Evarts is an attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project))
((Linda Evarts, International Refugee Assistance Project)) ((Teams interview so no courtesy is necessary))
“And when a parent has a child who's eligible for the program, there are certain other family members who can sometimes be added to the application. But the idea is to enable family reunification here in safety in the United States.”
((NARRATOR))
Fifteen Republican states opposed to the program are suing the federal government. They argue the program was not authorized by Congress. And that it increases the incentive for people to enter the U.S. without authorization.
((Radio track: This is Essey Workie. Her work focuses on unaccompanied children at the Migration Policy Institute))
((Essey Workie, Migration Policy Institute Human Services Initiative)) ((Teams interview, no courtesy required)) ((TEAMS, no courtesy necessary))
“In order to have true, meaningful, long-lasting solutions that endure beyond administration to administration, we really need an act of Congress.”
((NARRATOR))
In response, immigration advocates joined a lawsuit against the Republican states. They represent families that would benefit from the Central American Minors Program.
Immigration experts say the program has pluses and minuses.
((Radio track: Essey Workie from the Migration Policy Institute explains again))
((Essey Workie, Migration Policy Institute Human Services Initiative)) ((Teams interview, no courtesy needed))
“It's helping to circumvent the informal systems that have developed over time to facilitate the journey to the U.S., and by that, I mean, the smugglers or, as others may call them, coyotes, that family members pay to have children escorted through that journey. … There are also concerns around child safety, because the very nature of the program, as I noted before, is in-country processing.
((NARRATOR))
Rosemary’s daughter was able to legally travel to the United States once background checks and documents were fully processed.
But Rosemary’s case stalled when the Trump administration closed the program in 2017.
Advocates sued the Trump administration over that decision.
((Radio track: This is Linda Evarts from the International Refugee Assistance Project))
((Linda Evarts, Attorney at the International Refugee Assistance Project)) ((TEAMS interview, not courtesy needed))
“We achieved a settlement in that case, and as a result of that settlement approximately 1,600 people have already come to the United States as CAM parolees.
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Rosemary Silva Pimentel))
In 2020, Rosemary was able to reunite with her family. At the airport, the first-person Rosemary saw was…
((Rosemary Silva Pimentel, CAM Recipient)) ((IN SPANISH))
“My daughter. And then my husband, too. He was with my daughter. And it was so emotional. I was so happy because we were together again.”
((NARRATOR))
The Biden administration has reopened the CAM program. But with legal battles still underway, the future of the program is uncertain.
Aline Barros, VOANEWS, Washington.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Program NameBorder Crossings
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateApril 1, 2022 15:37 EDT
BylineAline Barros
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
