Addressing the Surge in Unaccompanied Migrant Children
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 113,
May 2023
(pp. 357-60)
Abstract
Unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) account for a growing share of apprehensions along the US-Mexico border. Contrary to past UMC flows, which were primarily comprised of older youth fleeing violence in Mexico, recent UMC flows include children of all ages escaping life-threatening conditions in Central America's Northern Triangle. To manage the growing influx of UMC, the Biden Administration established surge facilities, which rely on emergency standards to house and care for the children. We show that surge facilities created capacity in traditional shelters, enabling them to accommodate tender-age children and reducing the number of children in foster care.Citation
Amuedo-Dorantes, Catalina, José Bucheli, and Mary Lopez. 2023. "Addressing the Surge in Unaccompanied Migrant Children." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 113: 357-60. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20231125Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J18 Demographic Economics: Public Policy
- K37 Immigration Law