The Los Angeles Times on March 6 reported that most of the unaccompanied minors from Central America who surged into the country last summer are not appearing in court when ordered to do so for a decision on their deportation. The newspaper cited immigrant defenders and apologists who asserted that the aliens are not appearing because they are not receiving the notices to appear.
This argument ignores that the illegal entrants are not simply turned loose to fend for themselves, but rather are not released until a sponsor – usually a family member – is identified. That is the address where the notice to appear for a deportation hearing is sent. If the location of the alien minor changes, a notice to the government of the new address is legally required.
For that reason, it is likely that the failure of the illegal aliens to appear in court is because the minors and/or their sponsors have chosen to ignore the government’s order in the belief that there is currently no likelihood of enforcement and that eventually the problem will be solved by the administration’s proposed amnesty.