Unaccompanied Minors
This week one of my supervisors at work took us to Immigration Court to observe proceedings for unaccompanied minors. Unaccompanied minors are individuals who are all under the age of 18 and cross the US/Mexican border all by themselves. Escaping political persecution or fleeing war, abusive families or other dangerous conditions in their home countries, these children -- ranging in age from toddlers to teenagers -- arrive in the US unaccompanied by their parents or legal guardians. All of the children are either from Central America or Mexico. El Paso, TX has three detention centers specifically for unaccompanied minors. It is important to note that these children are held in detention for administrative reasons, not as punishment for criminal behavior. Most of these children are either being voluntarily deported or reunified with family here in the states. Observing these minors in court brought this issue up close and personal. The youngest children I saw at this court were two sisters who were ten and eight years old. In this type of immigration proceeding, a child is not guaranteed a lawyer but is being represented by lawyers who work for the Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services, Inc. These two sisters had no other option but to accept voluntary deportation, which allows them to return to the U.S. only if they have proper legal documentation.
This experience puts another face to the issues of immigration. It isn't just adults who are affected by our immigration laws.