It’s been said that the greatness of a society is determined by how it treats its most vulnerable members.

When U.S. authorities take undocumented, unaccompanied children into custody, too often the welfare of the child is not the top priority. Instead, undocumented children are usually treated as a law enforcement problem.

In recent years Homeland Security has been accused of failing to properly protect children. Among the complaints:

• Lack of clear policy and procedure to govern the process of removal and repatriation of children.
• Children experience maltreatment by U.S. immigration authorities.
• The current system of removal places the burden of triggering protective services on children themselves.
• U.S. fails to implement international conventions, denying many children access to their consulate.
• With no regulations that ensure safety, the U.S. creates unsafe transportation conditions for children being returned.
• Children are returned to unsafe conditions.

To the extent this is widespread has been documented in the recent report, “A Child Alone and Without Papers: A report on the return and repatriation of unaccompanied undocumented children by the United States” conducted by the Center for Public Policy Priorities based in Austin, Texas.

Maria Hinojosa speaks with public policy analyst Amy Thompson about the report she authored.

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Download Thompson’s report here (.pdf). You can find more information about the Center for Public Policy Priorities online.

Photos by Alan Poque and the Texas Center for Documentary Photography. Used with permission.