FOLLOWING THE ROUTE OF MIGRANT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FROM HONDURAS
EE.UU. desbordado por la “crisis humanitaria” de los niños sin papeles
In 2016, almost 10,000 children and adolescents were detained and returned to Honduras.
I tried migrating when I was 13 years old; I decided myself, because I wanted to help my mom and my brother, so they would have a better future. I travelled without adults, with a group of friends from the same community.
Before migrating, I lived with mi mom, my grandma, my uncle and aunt and my brother. I finished sixth grade, but when I reached seventh, my mom could not afford it anymore and so I decided to help her. I tried to leave without her knowing; I left with my friends, without a coyote.
The majority of children and adolescents migrate because of the difficult economic situation they are facing, to reunite with their families or due to violence in their countries of origin.
When we were here, with the others, we thought that everything would get better if we crossed, but when we saw everything that happened on the way, this idea faded away.
But what can happen on the way?
The risk of encountering dangers and multiple forms of violence during their journey and upon return is exacerbated in the case of children and adolescents travelling alone.
The real dangers of the route: Exhaustion, hunger, cold, lack of sleep. Human trafficking, organ trafficking and exploitation. Physical and/or sexual violence.
In 2016, the detentions of accompanied and unaccompanied children and adolescents increased by 20% in the United States and Mexico compared to 2014 and 2015.
The probability of detention by the authorities of the transit or destination countries is high.