Recent immigration measures in the United States are affecting thousands of undocumented families from various countries, increasing the risk of a new wave of mass deportations. In light of this situation, Mexico is emerging as the immediate destination for many of the deported, which has led to the implementation of temporary facilities in border cities.
Migration, especially of girls, boys, and adolescents, is a sensitive issue that requires special attention. In this context, there is a project for a Official Mexican Standard (NOM) that seeks to establish criteria and verifications to provide shelter services to women in situations of domestic violence, along with their children. The main objective is to ensure comprehensive, safe, free, and specialized care, with a focus on human rights and interculturality.
In 2021, the Early Institute was able to impact this NOM project, highlighting the importance of considering the best interest of the child in all areas, especially in migration, security, health, and education issues. The aim was also to make visible the situations of girls, boys, and adolescents in shelters as direct beneficiaries of this standard, establishing reinforced protection parameters in different areas to ensure their well-being.
It is crucial that migration stays, borders, hospitals, and care centers implement reinforced standards for the protection of girls, boys, and adolescents. It is necessary to recognize that in the case of this vulnerable group, special protocols, emergency measures, and high-priority mechanisms for their attention must be established.
Amid all this, cases arise such as the recent death of a child due to starvation in Mexico City, the son of a Russian woman. This tragedy emphasizes the importance of not leaving the protection of childhood solely in the hands of general legislation but adopting a cross-cutting approach across all sectors.
The Early Institute calls for the reintegration of the protection parameters of the NOM project to establish a minimum operating standard for the shelters that will accommodate deported individuals, with a special focus on ensuring the well-being and rights of migrant children while their legal situation is resolved.
