What’s driving the humanitarian crisis at the border

Don’t call it a border crisis.

What’s happening at the U.S.-Mexico border — a greater number of migrants, especially unaccompanied minors, with an administration unprepared to process and shelter them all — was actually pretty predictable, said “Reveal” immigration reporter Aura Bogado.

“It’s not that different from what happened in 2019 under Trump,” she said. “I think what the Biden administration could have prepared for is an increase in people arriving at the border, children in particular, and it could have staffed up better in order to take children very quickly through at that processing center.”

While the rhetoric around migrants has changed since January, the policy response largely hasn’t. Children are being held in “pop-up shelters” waiting to be processed. The longer they’re in custody, there’s greater potential for abuse and long-term mental health effects. Some migrants even ask to be deported after languishing in the system.

On today’s show, Bogado helps Kimberly Adams and Austin, Texas-based Marketplace reporter Andy Uhler unpack all of these issues, plus the broader climate and economic forces driving people out of Central America.

Later on, we’ll talk about the latest procedural news from the Senate (more interesting than it sounds) and hear from an “ATLien” listener who is concerned about companies threatening to leave Georgia. Plus, one listener’s answer to the Make Me Smart question has us giving N/A beer and wine another look.

When you’re done listening, tell your Echo device to “make me smart” for our daily explainers. This week we’re explaining the Voting Rights Act, the World Health Organization and Powerball. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter! You can find the latest issue here.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

• You can find all of Bogado’s work for “Reveal” here
• “Record number of unaccompanied children crossed the border in March” from NBC News
• “Biden administration allows media inside Texas border tents packed with minors” from The Washington Post
• “Family groups crossing border in soaring numbers point to next phase of crisis” also from The Washington Post
• “Senate Democrats can now officially pass more bills with 51 votes” from Vox
• “U.S. Treasury’s Yellen vows to work with international climate finance ministers group” from Reuters
• “Everything You Need to Stock an Alcohol-Free Home Bar, According to Bartenders” from Eater

Finally: We need your voice memos! Tell us what you think of the show or ask a question for Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood to answer! Here’s how to do it.