Mexico Repatriates Over 300 Honduran Children

Mexican authorities have repatriated to Honduras 309 underage undocumented migrants so far this week, the Casa Alianza humanitarian organization said Wednesday. On Wednesday, 242 Honduran migrants arrived in the northern city of San Pedro Sula, 139 of them children, on seven buses from the Mexican municipality of Tapachula, Casa Alianza spokesman Carlos Flores told reporters. The repatriated people were received by officials from Honduras’ DINAF family services agency, Casa Alianza and another NGO, the Center for Assistance to Returning Migrants. Another 170 undocumented Honduran children were deported on Monday by Mexican authorities, Flores said. In addition, he called on parents not to allow their children to travel to the United States alone because of the serious danger to which that exposes them. “Don’t send your children or grandchildren. I put myself in their shoes. The decisions are made with the heart to want to see their children, but putting them in danger is not worth it,” Flores emphasized. Mexico has deported more than 6,000 Honduran children so far this year, an increase of 24.5 percent compared to the same period in 2013, Flores said. Lack of opportunities, poverty, recruitment attempts by gangs and reuniting with their parents are some of the reasons why Honduran minors decide to emigrate illegally to the United States. Honduran first lady Ana Garcia said last week that the Central American country “is prepared” to receive Honduran immigrants deported from the United States within the next few days. U.S. officials between October 2013 and June 14, 2014, detained more than 52,000 unaccompanied and undocumented minors entering the country, most of them coming from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.