Since October of 2013, more than 50,000 Central American children have passed through several countries before crossing the United States-Mexico border. U.S. president Barack Obama has called it a humanitarian crisis as congressional Republicans and Democrats fiercely debate what should be done to deal with the situation.

What should be done about these immigrant children? CCTV’s Anand Naidoo explores this issue with an immigration attorney, an advocate for stricter U.S. border control, and an award-winning documentary filmmaker.

Thousands of unaccompanied children are pouring into the U.S.-Mexico border, many of whom are fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. They are being kept in temporary, hot, cramped detention facilities while also being caught in the middle of a political battle.

What should comprehensive immigration reform in the United States look like? How can the U.S. government work with Central American countries to stop the mass exodus of its people to the north?

As the heated debate continues, however, these children do not have long to wait. CCTV’s Ginger Vaughn has this report from Texas.

Ann Badmus, an immigration attorney with over 20 years of experience, joined Anand Naidoo from Dallas, Texas to discuss the influx of immigrant children to the U.S.

For a broader look at the U.S. immigration system, the president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform Dan Stein and professor of Transborder Studies at Arizona State University Paul Espinosa joined Anand Naidoo for a panel discussion.