Policy & Advocacy
Backgrounder on Child Migration, January 2014
Background on Child Migration, January 2014
- Since 2011 the United States experienced a sharp rise in unaccompanied child arrivals at the U.S.–Mexico border, from an average of about 6,800 annually (2004–2011) to over 24,000 in 2013, with projections of more than 60,000 unaccompanied minors in 2014.
- The surge reflects a complex, interrelated set of causes rather than a single explanation.
- The 2011–2014 surge in unaccompanied child migration results from a “perfect storm” of economic hardship, violence, family reunification pressures, and country-specific shocks.
- Effective responses require simultaneous protection at the border, expanded legal pathways, and long-term prevention through economic, governance, and community-level interventions.
Main drivers of Child Migration
- Economic deprivation: Lack of economic opportunity and limited access to quality education leave children and families unable to support themselves.
- Family reunification: Children travel to join relatives already in the United States.
- Violence and insecurity: Widespread gang and organized-crime activity, including extortion, kidnapping, coercion, and forcible recruitment of children, has eroded rule of law and created fear that drives families to send children away.
- Local shocks and structural problems: Country-specific economic and political problems exacerbate push factors.
Country-specific factors
- Guatemala: Collapse of the coffee industry contributed to economic displacement.
- Honduras: Political instability and weakened governance worsened rule-of-law breakdowns.
- El Salvador: Heavy dependence on U.S. remittances made it especially vulnerable to global economic downturns.
USCCB and partner responses
- Protection and services: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration and Refugee Services identifies children in need, operates direct services, and develops practice guidance and white papers.
- Advocacy and research: Partners such as the Kino Border Initiative and Jesuit Refugee Services gather shelter and field data, advocate against impunity for crimes against migrants, and call for stronger screening and asylum procedures that recognize threats from organized crime.
Policy Recommendations
- Access to screening and identification: Ensure no child is returned without screening; train and oversee officials to identify protection needs.
- Safe pathways: Create legal, accessible routes for children to seek protection without undertaking dangerous journeys.
- Broaden protection definitions: Update U.S. asylum and protection frameworks to recognize persecution by organized criminal groups and other nonstate actors.
- Durable solutions: Expand options such as resettlement for children who cannot safely return.
- Prevention and reintegration: Invest in anti-corruption, rule-of-law reforms and community-level programs that provide local survival alternatives, reduce gang recruitment, and support reintegration.