Wendy Young on the steps of Capitol Hill speaking about family separation

Robust Advocacy

Preserving Vital Protections for Children

KIND’s Policy and Advocacy team promotes the fair and appropriate treatment of unaccompanied immigrant and refugee children. We educate policymakers and the public about experiences and conditions that force children to migrate alone, barriers that prevent them from fairly accessing U.S. protection, and the challenges and dangers they may face if returned to the countries they fled. 

Our team engages with federal agencies, Members of Congress, and other policymakers to support policies that protect children throughout their journey to safety. Drawing upon lessons learned through our representation of thousands of unaccompanied children, we provide technical assistance to policymakers to promote safe and developmentally appropriate treatment of unaccompanied children in federal immigration custody, child-sensitive measures for processing and adjudicating children’s cases, and safeguards to ensure no child is returned to harm.

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What We Do

Educate Decision Makers

We educate local, state and national decision-makers about unaccompanied children, the root causes of their migration, family separation, and other issues affecting children alone. 

Advance Protections

We identify opportunities to promote protections for unaccompanied children through legislation, regulations, policies, programs, and services. 

Promote Action

We educate Members of Congress so they can support legislation that protects children alone, improves safety in Central America, and provides fair access to the U.S. immigration system and to legal services.

Side Event and Report Launch

Children are Children First and Foremost: Protecting Child Rights in Migration Contexts

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This Side Event is being co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Mexico and Greece to the United Nations in New York, The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to provide an opportunity for States, UN agencies and civil society organizations to engage in an interactive discussion with the Special Rapporteur and other high-level speakers regarding his report “Children are children first: Protecting child rights in migration contexts."

New Campaign Initiative

Keeping Kids Safe

KIND’s Keeping Kids Safe: A Seamless Safety Net for Children on the Move is a 10-year initiative designed to transform outdated laws, shift conversations about child immigration to center child protection, and reform the way the current U.S. immigration system—and subsequently protection systems across the globe—treats children.

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Key Policy Reports

December 4, 2024

Affordable Care Act Eligibility for Special Immigrant Juveniles and Other Immigrant Children

Beginning November 1, 2024, young immigrants, including DACA recipients and youth applying for or granted Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), can purchase health insurance through Affordable Car...

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December 2, 2024

On the Tenth Anniversary of the General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents: 5 Key Recommendations to Strengthen the Protection of Unaccompanied Children in Mexico

December 4, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of Mexico’s General Law on the Rights of Children and Adolescents (LGDNNA), a landmark in child protection policies. This law prioritizes the rights and ...

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November 18, 2024

KIND's Statement for the Record: Trafficked, Exploited, and Missing: Migrant Children Victims of the Biden-Harris Administration

KIND’s Statement for the Record stresses the urgent need to uphold legal protections for unaccompanied children in U.S. immigration proceedings. It advocates for stronger safeguards to prevent t...

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October 11, 2024

Vulnerable Youth Guardianship Protection Amendment Act - DC Law L25-188

The Vulnerable Youth Guardianship Protection Amendment Act strengthens protections for unaccompanied children and vulnerable youth seeking guardianship in the U.S. This legislation ensures that immigr...

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Policy Tracker

Policy Tracker

Learn about key legislation in Congress that protects unaccompanied children.

Statements 

Statements 

Read about KIND’s position on key issues impacting children alone.

Make Your Voice Heard

Make Your Voice Heard

Use your voice to stand up for migrant children.

Make Your Voice Heard

Migrant children need our help now more than ever. This is your chance.
Use your voice and stand up for the rights of migrant children everywhere.

 

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