millions of migrant children. the conversation continues on the website, aljazeera.com/considerthis or on facebook or google+. see you next time. hello everybody, welcome to al jazeera america. i'm david shuster, john seigenthaler has the night off. it's 11:00pm in the east, 8 appointment in the evidence, and you are watching the only live news cast at the hour. just ahead - total recall. g.m. calls another 8 million vehicles off the road for safety issues. acting alone. the president says if congress will not move on immigration, he will. >> retaliation - israel launches

air strikes on gaza, hours after finding the dead bodies of three missing teens. >> birth control battle - a big victory for hobby lobby and the effort to deny contraceptive coverage on religious grounds. we start with embattled automaker general motors, today it said it will recall 8 million more vehicles for safety problems. that brings the total number of recalls to more than 25 million - breaking the all-time record for the most cars recalled in a single year by a single automaker, the rals were announced as the company outlined a plan that could pay billions to victims of detective ignition switches. >> there's no reason that only two weeks after he died, i got

the first recall. they knew about it. >> reporter: their stories of lost have been broadcast internationally. >> g.m. needs to be held accountable for their actions. >> reporter: now g number of says it will make amends and will decide on the price of a life. this man oversaw the claims of 9/11 in a process that saw bankers receive more money than waiters based on earning participation, and he was paid millions by bp to settle claips following the deepwater horizon. amid the criticism that he shielded the oil company. g.m. acknowledges 13 deaths and 47 accidents relating to the faults that cut power and disabled air backs. independent audits showed 309 deaths with another 229 injured. it's not clear if feinberg will limit liability to airbag

deployment, and include a loss of control due to power steering and brake assist. that will increase the number of claimants. there's the economic loss claimed by owners of the millions of recalled cars. financial analysts don't seem too troubled. confident that a fraction of the reserve fund will be used. the prospect of a department of justice was shrugged off, following the billions spend rescuing the company. >> we have a lot of politics, they are not going to do something to severely damage it, it cunt make sen-- it doesn't m sense. >> g.m. will challenge that it is not relabel for incidents before 2009. >> our daughters, son, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands are gone, because they were a cost of

doing business gm style. >> feinberg will have to make a convincing case on monday for plaintiffs not to use the formidable groups of lawyers they had who in the past secured billions of dollars from big tobacco and other car manufacturers. >> president obama revealed today that he's been told by house speaker john boehner that the republican led house will not take up an immigration bill this year. the president announced he'll try to fix the broken immigration system through executive actions. mike viqueira reports from the white house. >> as the humanitarian crisis upfolds on the border. political gridlock in washington. immigration reform going nowhere in congress. >> president obama is fed up with house republicans, and if they block immigration reform, he'll go around them again if he has to. >> the argument seems to be because the system is broken, we shouldn't make an effort to fix

it. it makes no sense. it's politics. plain and simple. >> president obama asked for a recommendation, and says he'll sign executive action with some reforms by the end of the summer. >> in the meantime he's moving 150 border agents from around the country to the rio grand valley, where tens of thousands of immigrants, including many unaccompanied children overwhelmed the system. the president will ask congress for a surge of resources. more than 2 billion for more immigration judges, assume processes and lawyers, as well as humanitarian aid. after touring a military base turned migrant detention center, jay johnson expressed optimism. >> i believe we'll stem the tide and obviously the problem. >> to do that the president

wants to speed up the process. where they may face menacing youth gangs and high crime. that angers latinos and reformed advocates. many are angry at president obama referring to him as deporter-in-chief for a spike in deportations. it's believed they are driven by a false rumour that if they reach the u.s. they will not be deported. republicans blamed earlier movements from children who entered earlier and grew up to remain, giving false hope, that if they entered the country illegally, they'd be allowed to stay. john boehner told him last week that reform was a no go this year in the house. that brought president obama to the rose garden. >> the only thing i can't do is stand by and do nothing while waiting for them to get their

act together. >> vice president joe biden was in central america trying to say that a criminal sint kate message is not correct, if you come you'll be september back, as secretary of state john kerry prepares to go with the same message. coming up: the u.s. department of veteran affairs could have a new leader, a former corporate c.e.o., bob mcdonald. president obama announced the nomination a few hours ago. mcdonald spent three decades with proctor and gamble and left last may. he served in the u.s. army, after graduating from west point. the ba came under criticism for mismanagement and providing veterans with poor medical care. >> for our family taking care of

veterans is personnel. we need to put care for the veteran at the center of everything we do. at proctor and gamble we focus on the customer. at the v.a. the veteran is the customer and we must focus all day, every day of getting them the benefits in the care they so earned. >> president obama called on the senate to confirm his other v.a. nominees. tonight tensions are high in israel and the palestinianian territories. israeli war planes carried out air strikes in gaza, after the bodies of three young israeli me who disappeared three weeks ago were found. the grim discovery bringing to an end the largest search operation in palestinian territory in a decade. they were located outside of hebron. the teenagers appeared to have been shot a few weeks ago, soon after being abducted. joining us now is ambassador,

former israeli consule general. your reaction? >> it was predictable the the claim that three teenagers were taken hostage and no one made a ransom claim or issued a news statement about their whereabouts led to suspicion that was prch correct. that they were shot shortly therefore after, kidnapped at a hitchhiking juncture. >> given that no one took responsibility, hamas issued a statement saying it's an israeli ploy or torie. >> what do you expect. >> there's a question here. whether hamas initiated, directed and authorised this. or the perpetrators, two of which hasn't been found, have

been acting independently, yet they are hamas members or sympathizers, or on hamas's payroll. it's unclear. i am sure we'll get to the bottom of this. >> what is your feeling on this? is the belief that they are loan rangers, or this was something ordered or approved of from higher ups? >> my sense and understandings from people who were supposed to know is that these were hamas members, but not sanctioned or authorised and there are two indications. one is they entered into a national reconciliation collision with the palestinian - with the fatah and the palestinian authority. so why would they do that? secondly had hamas been behind this, they would have been proud, banged their chests and bragged about this and issued a ransom demand or some kind of a

prisoner change requirement and they have not. >> if it's not organizationally approved, does that change the israeli response over the next few days? >> these three teenagers were taken hostage and murdered in the west bank, which is under fatah, palestinian control. hamas controls gaza. hamas is trying to gain some kind of political and operational infrastructure and basis in the west bank, israel's response, 34 attacks or targets have been attacked in the last three hours as we speak now, have been in gaza as opposed to where the teenagers were kill. it means israel will go after hamas.

no, israel is not going to ipp vade gaza. that is too dangerous, too difficult a task to accomplish. i think there'll be an attempt to control the level of fire and deescalation. >> is there a danger in terms of going after people in the west bank , that you weaken fatah and strengthen sympathies for hamas. >> yes, there's a danger that that may happen. but on the flipside of this argument, the palestinian authorities has been cooperating with israel very closely in an attempt to apprehend those responsible for this. i don't think israel could have located the bod yes and identified the two ab ductor or murderers, we found out, had it not been for intelligence level cooperation with the palastinian authority. so i think the palastinian authority will not be weakened,

but there's no bigger issue than three teenagers being murdered, but the biggest political issue is this is happening in the absence of a peace process, negotiations, talks, and so this is a void or this is some - this is a black hole into which a lot of bad blood and mistrust can be found. >> is there something, though, and again, nobody justifies - nobody justifies the killings of teenagers, but the fact that these were settlers, is there something provocative that makes a lot of israelis wince when they think about the provocative nature of those settling in the territory. >> no. there has been numerous suicide bombings in tel aviv and jerusalem, and other cities. there has been random acts of terror. >> and murders throughout israel within the green line, so the fact that these three teenagers

were settlers or lived across the green line, east of the green line doesn't mean anything in terms of the abject and abhorrent nature of this. does it raise the issue of israeli settlements in the west bank? it does for the palestinians, but not at this point for the israelis. >> former israeli consule general - thank you for joining us. >> palestinian american journalist is the cofounder of the publication, and author of the battle for justice in palestine and joins us in chicago. ali, any reaction to anything that the ambassador said? >> well, i think it's interestingly that we are sitting here having a discussion about three israeli youths, two minors, children, were killed. nobody from al jazeera invited me to talk about the

cold-blooded murder of two palestinianian teenagers shot dead by snipers on may 15th. >> right, but to be fair, al jazeera america did cover that story. just because we didn't invite you on, we covered it extensively. >> point taken. my point is that six palestinianian children have been killed this year. in the past two weeks israel carried out massive collective punishment against palestinians, at least five have been killed. i did not hear ambassador pinkers condemn that or hear any word of condolences for a 15-year-old murder... >> i didn't ask him the question. from his previous appearance he regretted the lack of privacy taken away from plups and the deaths caused as part of this operation.

to the bigger picture, do you see something positive, and that the palastinian authority are cooperating on security. >> i don't see anything positive in a brutal occupation army orrar colonial auxiliary, which is what the palestinianian authority is, cooperating to impose punishment on knlains. mr pinkers talks about israeli allegations as if they are fact. there is no credible judicial authority or police in the west bank. we have no way to verify that the two people israel claims were behind the killings were behind them. israel carried out collective punishments. they have demolished reports from hebrew, and are demolishing the family home of these two suspects. i don't recall a trial. what would you have israel do in

the circumstance, if they were suspected cold-blooded murderers? >> i would have israelnd the occupation, end the apartheid and land theft. that is something palestinians have been demanding for decades and the worlds have nothing. palestinians are sick and tired of hearing world leaders express sympathy. who doesn't have empathy for the mothers of children killed, whether israeli or palestinianian. condoping the killings. the people that don't have empathy do not have a statement offering empathy. like that goes anywhere near to where that said. a lot of israelis are looking up saying the palestinian authority expressed empathy, hamas has not. >> hamas, you know, had so many

of their people extrajudicially murdered. it ticks hutspa to expect people living under occupation to expressing sympathy for the people that are occupying. i don't think it's a reasonable demand. i've never heard you or anyone else on al jazeera demanding that israelis express condoll epss to palestinianians. why is this... >> they have - my colleagues and i have asked people like a lon pinkers. >> i didn't hear that. i just listened to you. david, you asked me what should be done. >> right. >> what should be done is to end occupation and apartheid, end the system. we are settlers. >> isn't it possible, ali, to agree with you and still condemn the taking of innocent lives, even the lives of teenagers who

are settlers, living behind the green lup line. can't we agree they shouldn't be killed? >> did you hear me say they should be culled. you are acting as if you are saying i said they should be killed. >> no, when you equate it with an issue of three killed a lot of people think that we can have the discussions about settlements but on a day like tide... go ahead. >> what do you mean a day like today? what about a day like today when another palestinian teenager, tuesday morning and palestine was killed by israeli forces in gepp een. what about a -- jenin. >> israelis are investigating and figure out which of their troops took the action and are reviewing it, but you don't here hamas looking for a review into perpetrators killing the it's raily teenagers. >> it seems to me that you

accept all of israel's claims at face value. >> no. >> and you are putting me and palestine on trial. >> i'm trying to play devil's advo vate. we should have a cop tech tulle discussion. >> you don't want to. >> i do want to. executive director of the electronic, ali, thank you for beep on the programme, we appreciate the spirited conversation we had. now to iraq where the united states is sending 300 troops because of a deteriorating security situation there. president barack obama says they will protect the embassy and u.s. troops. bringing forces to 800 in what could be a landmark decision in washington, the u.s. supreme court ruled that certain companies like hobby lobby do not have to provide health insurance is that covers co essential for women.

critics said the ruling is a win for religious freedom. democrats, including the white house said the ruling is part of a republican war on women with and could cause employers to drop coverage for other groups. we have the vice president of membership of the national organization for women. thank you for joining us. your rehabilitation to the supreme court decision today? >> well, we are disappointed. i mean this was a ruling against women. health care, reproductive health care is a basic right for women, it was tape away from them. -- taken away from them. this is another aspect and it's disappointing that the supreme court joined another side of that. the phrase war on women. you issued a fund raiding appeal based on the did you suggest. you described it as a war on women and it's written:.

>> they are not hammering women's access to birth chrome, but restricting insurance coverage for birth control. right. >> so the thing is 90%... >> first, you'll agree it's not a war on birth control or hammering birth control, it's about insurance policies, right of. >> it's about access to birth control. that's the most important thing. 52%. country needs birth control. women use birth control for multiple reasons, one of the things they use it for to prevent unintended pregnancies. >> is it true that it's a small number of u.s. privately held corporations that this effects. >> it's not a small number, it's 90% of american businesses. the ruling said closely held companies, it looks to 90%.

those 90% employ 52% of employees in the united states. we are looking at a large number of women affected by this ruling. and that is a cause for concern. as i said, it's reproductive health care, basic health care that women need to make determinations for themselves. their bosses shouldn't make the decisions, they should make it themselves for their doctors. >> doesn't it delegitimize the point that you make by using terms like war, and the terms that you used in the statement hammering women's access. they are loaded phrases, aren't they. >> the fact is we are seeing a slew of cases come out of the supreme court that are impacting women's lives. the ruling last week from the mccullan v cokely case, that impacted women's access to reproductive health care to clinics and abortion care. na affected whether or not there

should have be buffer zones. it doesn't say that the clinics can't be missed but says the buffer zones in that state was not constitutional. >> you are right. it does say that. here is the thing. that means that sidewalk counselling, and it is more than just coupling, let's be honest. there have been individuals who decide as a result of the protesters. women have been harassed on the way to getting health care. this is simply another ruling that said women don't have control over their open bodies. that is not okay. it's between a woman and her fizz irp what she decides to do. it's not a boss's decision or a politicians. >> thank you for joining the programme. we appreciate it. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. coming up, storm threat. warnings of weather in the mid

west. kevin corriveau is up next to explain it all.

extreme weather escalates. kevin corriveau will talk to us, but look at the rain, and strong winds moving through iowa, kevin is here with that. >> it's one of the worst evenings we are seeing. this is how it began. let me put this into motion, and you can see where we stand now. this line of thunder storms developed all the way from kansas to chicago. we are looking at warnings coming into the city, but that is a significant event. through iowa, as david mentioned, these are the storm damage, wind, hail and tornado. this is going to continue to last through the evening and you see the watches and warnings extending from michigan to kansas. an active night and dangerous

night. make sure you keep the weather radios on if you live in this area. in the last 15 minutes we have an update off the coast of florida, this has become tropical depression one. it's the first storm of the season. within six hours, we think the storm will become tropical storm arthur. the preliminary path is this. we'll see the storm make its way up the coast and become close to the state of south sudan, and could make landfall. we'll watch that carefully. of course the models can change quickly. >> thank you very much. next, broken borders, broken dreams, our indepth look at the growing humanitarian crisis at the border, why people including young children are willing to risk it all to live in the yats. -- in the united states.

[ ♪ music ] [ ♪ theme ] driven by desperation, risking their lives, ripping apart their families, tens of

thousands of central americans, many just children - making the dangerous journey to reach the u.s. >> i'm beginning a new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as i can on our own. >> we look at why so many are making the dangerous a journey and risking it all, tog find heartache. al jazeera special report "broken journal, brorn dreams." this is al jazeera america, i'm david shuster. the number of migrants crossing the borders into the u.s. is stunning and historic. 50,000 children left their families to attempt the trek. not all make it. nearly 450 bodies were downed along the border with mexico. it's not known how many were children. texas authorities identified one young victim. this month they found the body of an 11-year-old boy from gata

mala, lost in the brush. he was identified by his angry bird jeans and a phone number for his brother in chicago scribbled on the inside of a belt buckle. >> what is behind the rush for the border? migrants are clinging to the hope that once they make it into the united states they'll be able to stay, even if they don't have the proper documents. they are not always wrong, as heidi zhou-castro reports. >> reporter: after six days of travel and three days of detention, this 26-year-old clutches her son in one hand, a plastic bag containing her hope for the future in the otherment immigration officers dropped off the mother and child at the bus terminal motels ago. inside the -- moments ago. in the bag is permit to remain for 30 days, when a judge will decide whether to deport them back to honduras. "getting in the country feels

good", she says, she didn't come to feel good, but for a better future for her son and herself. border patrol picked them up after crossing the river on a raft. what is once the end of a dream is now a detore. she is now free, holding bus tickets to join relatives in florida. with detention centers at triple capacity, and more tan 16,000 central americans immigrants in the rio grand valley, u.s. immigration officials drop 500 women and children at this bus terminal each day. she says she had heard rumours that single mothers and children would be allowed to stay in the u.s., that's why she came now, she said. an ice spokeswoman said the families are screened, finger printed and subject to removal. many of the mothers see it as a

free pass. this woman from honduras says she sought out border patrol officers, knowing they would helper. everywhere says the united states is helping immigrants enter. what is driving the migration, the rumour that the permit allows you to stay in the u.s., and the lack of jobs in central america. the dangers of the journey, and the discommofrt is a small price to pay. she hasn't showered or broushed her teeth. >> four blocks away mothers and children find an oasis, a shelter offering food, rest and compassion. >> if i was in the same situation and my children were starving and my children were in danger, as a mother i would do anything to keep them safe and bring them to the promise land. >> catholic charities runs the

shelter and acknowledges that it is controversial. the government has nothing but the word of the mothers that they'll appear for immigration. for the moment, those worries are set aside. here what matters is a warm shower, and the journey ahead. it's different now she says, no more detention. now we go to the families. in 30 days she'll have to make a decision, appear in court and risk deportation or stay hidden and undocumented. there is no way of knowing how many choose to stay hit ep and undocumented. the roum ours are enough to convince central american residents to gamble across the border. >> paul beban is back from hon dur us. >> it's a gamble to leave, a

gamble to make it across in mexico. if the rumours of a prment made people try to undertake the journey and find a way to stay in this country. >> reporter: on a dusty side street the journey comes full circle. day and night one, two, sometimes as man as 10 or 12 buses pull up, dropping off hundreds of dirty exhausted hondurans, caught in mexico heading north or gave up and turned themselves in. >> there's a because load of people, families, women with children, families coming back from mexico. they were on their way back to the u.s., were brought back to the shelter. some have families, others are here to stay and will be transported to another shelter. we saw young children.

it's a chaotic scope here. >> why did they go north now. many told us about a rumour that made its way south. >> translation: we went because of a permit for a minor to stay. if a parent came with a child they would give them permission. >> we heard if we presented to u.s., when we made it to the other side of the river, they'd give us a permit. >> reporter: the fact it there is no permit. it may very begun about an understanding that this document that women with children are given. it's a notice to appear before an immigration judge in 30 days. in the meantime they are freed with a bus ticket to stay with relatives in the u.s. jack told me that honduras is grappling with hearsay about human immigration rules.

>> translation: four months ago, three months ago, it started to interags. we don't know about the policy or where the rumour came from. it's part of the increase. >> reporter: rart of the problem may de the coy oatas. they charge hundreds of thousands. the honduran government runs tv ads warning parents not to trust the coyotes what are spreading the rumour. >> the coyotes are taking the advantage. the people profiting are making the money, the coyotes. >> reporter: jack admitted he was not sure whether the rumour was true tore false. >> translation: seeing these people make this decision, i thought it might be true. who knows, now i learn it's a lie. >> at the bus station where migrants begin, resume ours

persist. a young mother told me why she's leaving. where are you going? >> i'm looking for the american dream. maria heard it was easier to get in with children. either way, she was going north. >> reporter: why are you going to the united states. >> i'm looking for work. >> reporter: the lesson is rumours true or untrue, they won't stop someone determined to chase a dream. >> it's important to point out the underlying condition, the violence, the crime, the corruption, the lack of opportunity. they have been driving people out for years. the short-termed spike is fuelled. when people are told these are rumours and explain the confusion, what's the reaction. >> some argue and say when i got tli they changed the policy.

they spoke to jack agular, and he was confused whether it was true or fault of the he said so man are going, i thought something may have been true about it, but no, it's not. the white house has been trying to slow down the flood of immigrants by detaining and deporting migrants more quickly. president obama said he'll bypass congress and deal with the immigration crisis on his own. the steps are controversial. mike viqueira is at the white house. >> against the backdrop of the struggle of families in central america, there's a complicated situation in washington. president obama appeared in the rose garden a week after he said john boehner told him there would be no immigration reform moving through the house. it passed the senate and hopes were high that it would happen. it's not happening this year, so

the president said he'd move forward with executive actions over the course of the last several months and ask for recommendations and have them ready. in the meantime, moving border guards to rio grand. he's asking congress for $2 billion for judges and lawyers, asylum processes and humanitarian aid, those that come to the country, on military bases in this country, here is more of what the president had to say? >> i take executive action only when we have a serious problem, a serious issue, and congress chooses to do nothing. in this situation the failure of house republicans to pass a darn bill is bad for our security and economic. it's bad for the future.

the president wants to do one other things with the individuals, including the unaccompanied minors, he wants to expedite the process by which they are september back to do home countries if they make it across the border. >> i imagine that's not sitting well with democrats. >> how are they and republicans responding to what the president announced. >> it's a great point. a core constate upsy is the latino community and some groups are angry with what the angry accomplished calling him the deporter-in-chief because of the spike in deportations that occurred during the obama administration years. >> john boehner blamed another executive abbing, a rumour that was -- action, a rumour sweeping the country that they'd get permits if they crossed the journey. and the roumure of those that dramatic of coming here, grew up

here, and he lessoned the enforce -- lessened the enforcement and allowed them to stay. here is what beacon home care said: -- what john boehner said: . >> democrats, however, on balance think it's a political winner, because republicans are in a tough spot. mike viqueira at the white house, thank you. >> jennifer is a senior programme officer at the women's rev any commission and worked with migrants, joining us from washington d c. explain the status that the children have now are given what the president is doing and what is happening along the border. what is the status for children caught there? >> as soon as a child is apprehended or identified by customs and border, they are put into deportation proceedings,

the government starts the process, trying to deport the child. >> the numbers going through the deportation, how many get asylum or a visa. >> that's a great question. if depends on if the children are ever screened, if they get access to an attorney. if anyone explains to them their rights, and there have been studies that have shown if a child has legal representation, particularly this population of children. 40% of them may be eligible for humanitarian relief. asylum. visas, so they can stay and don't have to return to a dangerous situation. without an attorney, it's impossible for a child to defend themselves in immigration court, going up against a government attorney. >> given the odds in general are slum, why are they -- slim, why are they taking such risks to

cross to the united states? >> as i spoke to the children, what really stands out is the children talk about fleeing from a dangerous situation, feeling pushed out of their home countries, children that are doing well, with family, able to go to school. they said "it's not safe for me to be there", or i can't physically get to the university or the school, because they are gangs or others, a criminal organization that opens the buses or recruit out the schools. i can't get to work any more, because it's too dangerous, and they feel there's no choice. making the decision to try to cross through mexico without permission, to ride on a dangerous train is not something anybody is taking lightly. people know the risks. as many rumours as there are about what might happen as they get there, there's a lot of good information about how dangerous the journey is.

i've spoken to mothers who said they put their daughters on birth control because they expected their daughters to get raped. >> what are the daughters and chin saying about the risks -- children saying about the risks and changes. >> i spoke to a child that said i felt if i stayed in honduras, i would die. if i make the adjourn yip, i might die -- journey, i might die, but i might live. i had to take the chance. >> with what the president outlined, do you see the situation changing? >> i don't think it's an april with the administration saying they'll stem the flow or the tide or stop giving people due process rights that they have in the united states, that's not going to deter someone risking dying. people are willing to do it because they are so fearful. i don't think a quick fix is going to be the april.

the administration needs to stay on the path that it started, with thinking about different foreign policies and aid to address the root causes of the migration flow and be able to make communities safe so people can stay and don't have to come here. >> senior program officer with the women's refugee commission. thank you for being on the prime. >> thank you. >> next - why they risk everything. the fear and desperation that jennifer mentioned that led a teenager to travel thousands of miles to the united states. and the reunion seven years in the making. we meet a honduran family separated by violence and immigration policies.

>> many young central americans choose to travel 1200 miles to the united states border - it is the lesser of two evils. in many cases they are leaving violence and poverty behind. paul beban brings us a personal story. >> in the stands of a neighbourhood soccer field alex told me how much he misses his little brother axel. trrks we were always together, him and me, it was a connection between two brothers, i tried to

take care of him. i didn't think he had it in him to leave. now i'm basically alone. >> this spring axel headed north. i met him in april when he travelled 2,000 miles. after a failed attempt to cross the desert he surrendered to the u.s. border patrol. axel's case is in u.s. immigration court. back home. alex, a college student told me he studies hard and keeps his head down. the bad guys had their eye on his younger and popular brother. afraid of being forced to join a gang, he decided to love. >> translation: alex was getting to the age where he'd have problems with delink went and gangs. they forced him to go to the u.s. >> reporter: often this is the

murder capital of the world, ground zero for gang battles. we were told without a military escort we'd be killed. it's in a part of occupy in the grip of the gangs. >> this is a neighbourhood, a place where axel and his brothers and sisters grew up. being here would draw attention to his family. the businesses pay application and extortion. the communities pay extortion. it's a place where you are in with the gangs or out. axel decided to get out. >> reporter: many who don't get out end up in a pleas like this. most of the these kids are gang members. they face a grim future. what options do kids this age have? either the gangs or head

north. >> the sad reality is the day they age out and step out of the door, they find the same situation that put them here. >> they threw a grenade in here. inside is as dangerous. five kids were killed in a gang clash. into in a town square not far from her home, alex and axel's mother agreed to meet me. she was wary of being overheard talking about her gangs and sons. >> i have to be cautious to say what i'm about to say. there are some things you are not supposed to say. you join are or killed. boys as young as 12, 15, had to leave. leaving is the only solution. ammel is in the u.s. but he may have to come home. he may be deported. what will happen to him if he has to come home? >> if he ended up back here and

didn't go back to the states, they'd kill him. >> paul beban joins us in studio. are there any parts that feel safer than the oppression we feel in the piece? >> down up to is the commercial district and every establishment has some sort of private armed security guard. it's neighbourhoods where families live, where people are unsafe, where the gangs run roughshod over families and communityies, especially over the young teenage boys who are the prime recruitment targets or for new gang members. they don't have a lot of options. >> how much attention did you draw trying to do the stand up. >> we were the center of attention, particularly with the military escort. there's no other way to do it. this is a city where the emergency room has a 24 hour military guard. if there's a drug assassination attempt, if that person is not

killed, the gangs will try to follow them into the emergency room to finish them off. >> paul beban sh terrific reporting, appreciate it. for too many migrants the long journey to the united states and the lengthy process left families torn apart. morgan radford caught up with one, who managed to build a new life in new york, and met him as his son was in texas. >> they described the gang violence prompting the struggle all alone, gravelling through gata mala and mexico. that's when he reached the border and where he got caught. >> he stands here waiting. and when he's not waiting he's working. repairing a home for a son he has not seen in eight years. >> from hon tur as he crossed

the border in 2006. he only had nuf money to bring one person, his wife or son. >> i asked why he chose to leave his second behind? >> i knew he could live with his grandmother who would raise im in the christian faith. >> reporter: after manuel junior was threatened by a gang at home things changed. >> not even the military or the government can help. >> who knows what happened to them. >> manuel and his wife paid an illegal guide to smuggle their 15-year-old son into the united states. >> we made is decision that 2-3 days of suffering is better than suffering every day if something happens to him in hopped. >> after travelling days and nights from hopped to mexico, he was caught at the border.

he spent nine days in detention, and there his father said children were abused. >> translation: he told me if immigration called them and they didn't come quick enough, they'd come and kick them. i started crying. >> after fine days of wearing the same clothes and sleeping under a sheet. border patrol sent manuel junior to a place for children. he was given new clothes and english classes but was not free. these are lock down facilitiesies. >> they don't get a free pass. if a young person doesn't appear in court, they'll be given an order for deportation. the system is overwhelmed. in new york there are 50,000 pending casing, 6,000 minors and 28 judges. for now, manuel is happy. days after we left, this

happened. immigration put manuel on a plane to be reunited with his parents. he's hoping he has a chaps to live the american dream. there was not a dry eye in the building. manuel hopes it shows lawmakers that every immigrant is not bad. and when it comes to kids, they are not coming to work, but rather threeing unthinkable violence. >> we end with a special that caught our eye, a frieze frame from the outskirts of the city. a honduras citizen. many are forced from their homes

by poverty and gang violence. >> i'm david shuster, "america tonight" with julie chen is

real reporting from around the world. this is what we do. al jazeera america. "america tonight" - iraq's fearsome fighters declare the creation of an islamic state. what a calafat means, and how the roots of this declaration reach back do the end of world war i, but now pose a threat for the region's future. also - the case that brought some of the nations biggest civil rights advocates and protesters to a town in louisiana, sara hay with a look 6. >> i don't believe justice was served.