The journey to the USA can already be incredibly traumatic for young children, who may have been exposed to violence and exploitation along the way. It is of the utmost importance that once they are put into U.S. custody, that further harm or trauma is prevented and that they receive care that they deserve. There are several parts of the U.S. immigration system that must be torn down and rebuilt. 

The CBP first and foremost must be held accountable for their actions. Over the years there have been numerous reports of physical violence, corruption, and verbal abuse at the hands of border patrol agents towards migrants across all ages. There must be stronger vetting of agents and any reports of abuse must be dealt with immediately, removing the agent from the field while an investigation is carried out. 

The U.S. government’s criminalization of entering or reentering the country without authorization has also led to a multitude of issues, including mass incarceration. The U.S. government jails more than 50,000 immigrants each day at a more than $3 billion annual cost to taxpayers. Mass detention centers, like the ones used for UAC, are incredibly expensive and riddled with corruption, abuse and neglect. Many investigations have repeatedly found evidence that detention centers are riddled with human rights abuses and should be phased out completely.

Experts argue that a community-based approach would be a much more progressive and cost-effective solution. Rather than spending billions on detention centers, the federal government could subsidize NGOs and community-led organizations to run safe, secure migrant programs. There already exists a broad array of community support services that can ensure that migrants receive the help they need on a variety of issues: legal, housing, transportation, social and medical services. In fact, Doctors of the World runs a border health clinic in collaboration with a local university and NGOs to provide essential health care to migrants.

At Doctors of the World, we have long fought for the rights of migrants, in the USA and abroad. Unaccompanied minors, as well as migrants of all ages, deserve better care than what they currently receive from the U.S. government. The current migration system is one that is fueled by fear and profit at the expense of migrants’ safety and wellbeing. Serious policy changes must be made to ensure that migrants rights are respected and that they receive a fair process in their court trial. Special care must be given to UACs, who are even more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and long-term trauma. It’s time that the USA drops its rhetoric against migrants, and recognizes them as human beings. 

Sources

Children on the Run – Full Report 
U.S. Detention of Child Migrants | Council on Foreign Relations
Nearly 130,000 unaccompanied migrant children entered the U.S. shelter system in 2022, a record – CBS News
This is what happens to child migrants found alone at the border, from the moment they cross into the US until age 18
U.S. shelters received a record 122,000 unaccompanied migrant children in 2021 – CBS News

Photography: 

Olivier Papegnies 

MdM Spain