Senator John McCain is in Phoenix promoting legislation that he said will help the U.S. cope with a flood of unaccompanied Central American children crossing the border.
McCain is co-sponsoring the measure with fellow Arizona Republican Jeff Flake. Among other things, it would amend a human trafficking law Congress passed in 2008 so that swifter action could be taken to repatriate the children to their homes. McCain said the measure would also increase, but limit, the number of refugee visas by 5,000 for the kids from each of the countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
"I think it’s a reasonable number to expand the number of visas," McCain said. "I do not believe that we should give a visa to 90,000 children who are coming to this country. That is just not appropriate."
McCain said the bill would mandate detention for the children, even if that means they are required to wear ankle monitors to ensure they show up to court. He also said Mexico should do more to prevent the kids from crossing that country to get to the United States.