Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asks the nominee to be Ambassador to Honduras James Nealon about the humanitarian crisis involving minors dangerously crossing the U.S. border.
Below is a video of their interaction during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing:
Below is a transcript with Chairman Menendez’s question:
“Let me ask about the most pressing issue of the day – one that is in the headlines and on the minds of all of us who care about the issues of human rights and human dignity – and that is the thousands of young people – and increasingly younger people – who have been forced to leave their families and head for the U.S. border because of the inability of the Honduras government – and other Central American governments – to deal with crime and violence in a region that is home to the highest murder rates in the world. I am personally appalled by the staggering numbers of minors – sometimes 5 and 6 year olds – who are left with no other choice but to cross the desert by themselves – and, as you approach this post, I would like to get a sense from you, what discussions have you had with the Administration and the State Department and what’s our strategy to address both the present challenge, as well as the underlying causes that present the challenge that gives us this humanitarian crisis?”
Below is a video of Chairman Menendez introducing the panel during the hearing:
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