- The Washington Times - Thursday, June 12, 2014

Newspapers in El Salvador and Honduras are sending youth a compelling message, recommending they head north to the United States — President Obama’s administration welcomes them.

La Prensa in Honduras wrote: “During their stay, in addition to accommodations and food, children receive English classes, play sports and participate in targeted programs while immigration authorities contact their families,” the New York Post reported.

And Diario El Mundo in El Salvador published a piece that contained a quote from Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson giving a glowing endorsement of the White House’s immigration policy on children — which is to hold off on deporting them.

“Almost all agree that a child who crossed the border illegally with their parents, or in search of a father or a better life, was not making an adult choice to break our laws and should be treated differently than adult violators of the law,” Mr. Johnson told the newspaper.

The specific policy — the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals plan — came into being in 2012. Basically, it gives young illegals a temporary legal status for a period of two years.

The Honduras newspaper has also cited stories of 500 illegal children who are now staying at the Naval Base Ventura County in Southern California as success cases, the Post reported.

“The children will be accommodated for between three and four months, while their parents or relatives are located in the United States,” at a U.S. cost of about $250 per child per day, La Prensa reported.

• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.

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