The first lady of Honduras, Ana Garcia de Hernandez, is touring immigration facilities and shelters in South Texas learning the plight of thousands of Hondurans who have entered the United States illegally.
Garcia de Hernandez met with McAllen Mayor Jim Darling on Thursday morning and was scheduled to visit several Border Patrol stations in the Rio Grande Valley. She's planning to remain in the area through Saturday.
The Border Patrol has been overwhelmed in the region by the number of immigrants entering the country illegally. About three-quarters of them are from Central America, with the most coming from Honduras. More than 15,000 unaccompanied children from Honduras have been apprehended since October.
Many of the immigrants say they are fleeing widespread gang violence and lack of job opportunities.
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