U.S. Policies and Laws Affecting Children on the Move

This timeline presents a brief overview of international and domestic agreements, laws and policies shaping the U.S. response to children on the move. Under current immigration laws, children’s access to immigration status and benefits is most often tied to their status as dependents. Laws governing unaccompanied children are an exception to this rule, but generally, immigration systems are not designed to meet children’s unique needs and demand that they conform to laws that were created for adults.

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