Influx of Unaccompanied Minors along Southwest Border 

The White House recently announced an initiative to help deal with the steep increase in unaccompanied minors arriving unlawfully along the Southwest Border with Mexico. Unaccompanied minors are defined as those who are under 18 and not accompanied by a parent. In such circumstances, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have to treat such minors differently than adults housing them in separate facilities and assisting in the location of relatives or others in the US to whom the minors can be released.

Additionally, unaccompanied minors may avail of a state’s court system to be declared dependent on a state for care making these minors eligible for an immigrant visas as special immigrants. This requires appearances before a state’s court, as well as the Immigration Court and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services – in other words, a lengthy process.

The new initiative will lead to Homeland Security personnel being reassigned to assist in the care and processing of unaccompanied children. Homeland Security will also coordinate efforts with the governments of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador where most of the unaccompanied minors originate.