Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 13 sepTember 2018
Family arrivals surge at US-Mexico border in August

By ELLIOT SPAGAT dren can be kept locked
SAN DIEGO (AP) — More up, proposing new regula-
than 16,000 families were tions that would allow the
apprehended at the bor- government to detain fam-
der in August, authorities ilies until their immigration
said Wednesday, a dra- cases are decided.
matic increase from previ- Administration officials said
ous months that the Trump that ending the so-called
administration blamed Flores agreement of 1997
on legal loopholes and a will speed up the handling
reversal of a widely de- of asylum requests while
nounced policy that sepa- also deterring people from
rated parents and children illegally crossing the border.
at the border. The move angered immi-
The number of family arriv- grant rights advocates and
als reached 15,955, a sharp is all but certain to trigger a
increase from July that Cus- court battle.
toms and Border Protection Border arrests are an imper-
Commissioner Kevin McA- fect gauge of illegal cross-
leenan said was one of the ings because they don't
highest on record. Families indicate how many people
accounted for more than got away.
one-third people who were Trump touted border ar-
stopped at the border. rests when they fell sharply
He called the increase "a In this July 18, 2018 file photo, a Honduran man carries his 3-year-old son as his daughter and during his first few months
direct response to gaps in other son follow to a transport vehicle after being detained by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol in office to less than 16,000
the legal framework," add- agents in San Luis, Ariz. in April 2017. The arrest tally
ing, "we're not surprised by Associated Press rose in 11 of the following
it, but it's been a very stark 12 months, topping 50,000
trend." increase. key issue in congressional polices official ports of en- in March, April and May of
Overall, people arrested or The numbers offer a glimpse races across the country, try, made 37,544 arrests in this year. The administration
stopped at the border to- into the impact of the McAleenan, a Trump ap- August, including 12,774 of said Tuesday that it will ex-
taled 46,560, up 17 percent Trump administration's "zero pointee, called the situa- people who came as fami- pand its tent shelter for im-
from 39,953 in July and up tolerance" policy on ille- tion "a crisis of significant lies and 4,396 children trav- migrant minors crossing the
52 percent from 30,567 in gal crossings introduced in proportions from a humani- eling alone. border to 3,800 beds and
August 2017. Arrests have April, which resulted in the tarian perspective and a Another 9,016 were keep it open through the
risen from July to August separation of more than security perspective." stopped elsewhere, includ- end of this year. The facil-
in four of the previous five 2,500 children from their The arrest tally is also the ing 3,181 who came as ity at Tornillo, Texas, which
years, indicating seasonal parents. President Donald latest reminder of how bor- families and 376 as unac- originally opened with a
factors may be an influ- Trump effectively ended der crossings have shifted companied children. 360-bed capacity for 30
ence. the practice of separating over the last decade from Last week, the Trump ad- days, is being expanded
The number of people ar- families in June amid heavy predominantly Mexican ministration moved to based on how many chil-
riving as families increased criticism. men to Central American abandon a longstanding dren are in the care of the
30 percent from July to Au- With the midterm elections families and children. court settlement that limits U.S. Department of Health
gust, outpacing the overall looming and immigration a The Border Patrol, which how long immigrant chil- and Human Services.q

NYC to add nonbinary 'X' designation to birth certificates

NEW YORK (AP) — People nation for their newborns, rey Johnson, a Democrat. and we respect them for option could be used by
born in New York City who and it will permit adults to "New Yorkers will no longer who they are." Carrie Davis, parents of intersex children
don't identify as male or fe- change the gender on their need a doctor's note to a transgender advocate or by parents who want
male will have the option birth certificates without an change their gender on who chaired an advisory their child to be able to
of changing their birth cer- affidavit from a doctor or their birth certificates, and board on the gender mark- choose a gender at a later
tificates to "X'' under legisla- mental health professional. will no longer be treated as er change, called the legis- date. Democratic Mayor
tion passed Wednesday by "Today is a historic day for if their identity was a medi- lation "exceptionally critical Bill de Blasio is expected to
the City Council. New York in its role as a cal issue." Johnson said during this time of danger sign the bill, which will go
The bill adopted by a 41-6 worldwide champion for in- it's important "to show our and uncertainty regard- into effect Jan. 1.
vote will also allow parents clusivity and equality," said constituents that we see ing health care and hu- Prior to 2014, New York-
to choose the "X'' desig- City Council Speaker Co- them, we have their backs man rights for transgender ers seeking to change the
Americans at the national gender on their birth certifi-
level." Some states includ- cates had to have under-
ing California, Oregon and gone gender confirmation
Montana allow individuals surgery first.
to change the gender on Legislation Johnson intro-
their birth certificates with- duced then allowed peo-
out a note from a doctor, ple to change their birth
but it's unclear how many certificates without surgery
jurisdictions allow parents but left the requirement for
to select a nonbinary op- a doctor's note in place.
tion for their newborns. The The new law eliminates it.q