House Speaker John Boehner sent a letter to President Barack Obama Friday urging him to deploy the National Guard to the Mexican border to aid in the 'humanitarian crisis' caused by a surge of unaccompanied minors trying to enter the United States illegally at the border.
In the letter, Boehner, R-Ohio, blamed Obama administration immigration policies for the surge.
Obama's Republican critics say his executive order creating Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which allows children who had immigrated illegally to delay deportation, has produced the false impression that the illegal immigrants can permanently stay in the U.S.
'The policies of your administration have directly resulted in the belief by these immigrants that once they reach U.S. soil, they will be able to stay here indefinitely,' Boehner wrote. 'There are several steps that we call on you and your administration to take immediately to enforce our laws, stem the tide of migrants, protect the victims, and ensure that these individuals are dealt with in a humane manner that is consistent with American ideals and family unity.'
Federal officials say that about 50,000 children have crossed the border without their parents since Oct. 1, about twice the number over the same period a year earlier. The administration has tasked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to handle the response.
Boehner asked the administration to send National Guard troops to the border to help with the needs of the unescorted children and to give beleaguered Border Patrol personnel a breathe; and enter talks with Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras to 'ensure that apprehended migrants can be promptly and efficiently returned to their home countries; and the immediate deployment of additional immigration judges, special assistant U.S. attorneys to assist in the swift 'removal' of illegal immigrants.
'While we understand that many of these individuals are coming to this country to escape violence and hardship in their home country, the current climate along the border and our enforcement policies are only encouraging them to risk their lives and those of their children,' Boehner wrote. 'It is time that we confront the crisis along the border head-on through immediate and aggressive action.'
By William Douglas
McClatchy Washington Bureau