Editor's note

Thousands of children cross the U.S.-Mexico border without their families and go undetected by U.S. Border Patrol. Many of these kids find work in construction, garment production and the service industry. Because they’re not authorized to work in the U.S., they’re often exploited by their employers. As Stephanie Canizales of USC Dornsife explains, Trump’s immigration policies are making them even more vulnerable.

And if you’ve ever noticed how many things computers are helping humans decide these days – whether to grant credit, to offer a job interview, and so on – you may have wondered how they actually make those decisions. Computer science researcher Anupam Datta has found a way to investigate what factors influence algorithms’ decisions, and report back in terms people can understand.

Danielle Douez

Associate Editor, Politics + Society

Top story

An unaccompanied minor from Guatemala, in Hamilton, Ohio. AP Photo/John Minchillo

How unaccompanied youth become exploited workers in the US

Stephanie L. Canizales, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Many children who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally remain undetected and must fend for themselves on the other side.

Science + Technology

  • Did artificial intelligence deny you credit?

    Anupam Datta, Carnegie Mellon University

    A European Union law will require human-understandable explanations for algorithms' decisions. A team of researchers has found a way to provide that, even for complex calculations.

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Environment + Energy

Politics + Society

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