Entre fronteiras: crianças migrantes desacompanhadas detidas na travessia México-EUA

Abstract

The situation of unaccompanied children detained at the Mexico-U.S. border gained prominence following the implementation of the "Zero Tolerance" immigration policy by the Trump administration (2017-2020). This study aims to analyze how United States immigration policies contribute to the incarceration of migrant children, using the constructivist perspective of international relations as a theoretical framework. The crisis of migrant children at the Mexico-U.S. border involves serious human rights violations due to stringent immigration policies that result in the detention of children in harsh conditions. This study seeks to understand the social and discursive foundations of these policies and to explore more humanitarian alternatives in line with international human rights standards. The methodology adopted consists of a bibliographic review analysis of academic data. It is noted that the application of the "Zero Tolerance" policy brought significant consequences to the physical and mental health of the children, resulting from incarceration in detention centers. The constructivist perspective demonstrates that immigration policies are influenced by security and national identity discourses, perpetuating practices that marginalize and harm detained children. Although some mitigation measures have been implemented by the Biden administration, they are insufficient to address the needs of migrant children.

Keywords: Migrant children. Mexico-US border. Zero Tolerance. Immigration Policies. Constructivism.