Cross-Border Commitments: U.S.-Mexico Cooperation on the Rights and Protection of Migrant Children

Abstract

Child migration at the U.S.-Mexican border has reached historic levels, with tens of thousands of children arriving each year. Despite this surge, both the United States and Mexico continue to prioritize enforcement and border security to combat drug trafficking and crime over the protection of children, risking basic humanitarian rights and care violations. This Note argues that the United States and Mexico’s current bilateral approach to immigration policy and enforcement is so overly focused on combating drugs and crime that it neglects essential protection procedures and accountability measures for most migrants, including children. This Note looks beyond domestic law and enforcement mechanisms and instead calls for a shift in the countries’ bilateral immigration approach to center the protection of children and human rights, using existing legal frameworks and international conventions as a guide. By reframing the migration policy analysis to focus on bilateral cooperation and accountability, this Note offers a new perspective on how child migrant protections can be meaningfully realized.