Numbers and Narratives: Unaccompanied Mayan Children and the Journey North

• In Event: 549 - Section on International Migration Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 05. Central American Migration

Abstract

The migration of UAC’s became headline news during 2014 due to a drastic increase in the number of children detained by Customs and Border Protection at the U.S.-Mexico border. The majority of these children came from and continue to come from three Central American countries: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Among these migrant children, Guatemalan indigenous Mayan children stand out due their cultural and social differences. This paper will make the case that Guatemalan Indigenous migrant children comprise a population that deserves to be more carefully studied. First, I will explore available data to estimate the proportion of Guatemalan indigenous children that make up the total number of children detained by Border Patrol. Second, I will describe specific issues that these indigenous children face once detained. The ultimate purpose of this paper is to draw attention to Mayan child migrants and to suggest areas for further study.

Author

• Angel Alfonso Escamilla Garcia, Northwestern University