U.S. Seeks to Ease Influx of Central American Child Migrants

Vice President Joe Biden announced on Friday that Washington will allow some children in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to apply for refugee status from their home countries, in a bid to stem an exodus of undocumented migrants to the U.S. border through Mexico. The program only applies to children whose parents are legal residents of the United States. But Biden said it should provide an alternative for children making the "harrowing" journey alone from Central America in order to join their parents. In a speech, Biden reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Central America, but made no promises of additional financial assistance to help curb the influx of migrants, as regional leaders have urged.