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‘There was no going back’: Migrants send kids into US alone

  • By Adriana Gomez Licon
Marely, 12, of El Salvador, cries as she stands as she waits to be processed by authorities after turning herself in upon crossing the U.S. - Mexico border Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in La Joya, Texas. Growing numbers of migrant families are making the heart-wrenching decision to separate from their children and send them into the U.S. alone.   (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

 Gregory Bull / AP

Marely, 12, of El Salvador, cries as she stands as she waits to be processed by authorities after turning herself in upon crossing the U.S. - Mexico border Tuesday, May 11, 2021, in La Joya, Texas. Growing numbers of migrant families are making the heart-wrenching decision to separate from their children and send them into the U.S. alone. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

(LaJoya, Texas)  —  Growing numbers of migrant families are making the heart-wrenching decision to separate as they try to get their children into America.

Many families with kids older than 6 have been quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that don’t allow migrants to seek asylum.

But they know that President Joe Biden is allowing children traveling alone to stay in the U.S. while their asylum cases are decided.

Forced out of the country, they’re sending their older children back to cross alone.

These self-separations mean children arrive in the United States confused and in distress. \

Many have traveled hundreds of miles with their parents without understanding why they can’t cross that last stretch together.

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