This past summer, the media was filled with images of children, largely from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, crossing the border without their parents and turning themselves in to immigration authorities. They are youths like HIAS Pennsylvania’s client, Maria, 16 years old, who was abused by her stepfather, and whose mother told smugglers to “have their way with her” in lieu of payment. She was held hostage for five days but, eventually, with the help of an adult, reached the U.S. border. Maria is a victim of human trafficking.
The surge in the number of children seeking sanctuary in the United States can be attributed to violence mixed with poverty and the inability of their governments to offer protection. “Children on the Run,” a report issued by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), found that 48 percent of recent arrivals had been personally affected by violence, including from drug cartels and gangs, and that 21 percent were survivors of abuse in their homes. The report noted that 58 percent of the youths had asylum or other claims deserving of international protection. In addition to increased volume, the children arriving are younger and there are increasing numbers of girls.
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