The numbers are staggering. The headlines, sensational. The debate, uber-political. And for many of us who are either immigrants or children of immigrants, this “border crisis” hits extremely close to home. Parties on both sides have raised their voices and made their opinions clear. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that according to some predictions nearly 60,000 unaccompanied minors will enter the United States this year alone.
That’s 52,000 more children than the average 8,000 unaccompanied minors that entered the country annually prior to 2012, according to the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies. These kids are coming from Latin American countries, for the most part, in search of a better future for themselves, or to try and reunite with their parents or other family members in the U.S. Los niños de nadie, some media outlets have labeled them.
Recently in Houston, the Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals held a panel to discuss the “border crisis” created by the debate around the influx of unaccompanied minors entering the country. Latino journalists from KPRC Local 2, La Voz de Houston, News 92 FM, MyFoxHouston, Univision, Telemundo. and various other media outlets shared their experiences in covering this story.
Below are a few images from the event. Anjelica and I were part of the audience during this panel.
