Children migrating through Mexico in search of safety are being met with alarming levels of violence, family separation, and uncertainty at the country’s northern border, according to a new study by Plan International and Save the Children in Mexico.
The research, based on 155 interviews with migrant children and their caregivers across three of Mexico’s major border cities—Ciudad Juárez, Reynosa, and Tijuana—reveals that after fleeing violence, many children found themselves in overcrowded shelters, out of school and in unsafe neighbourhoods alone, where they faced further dangers and continued to be denied their rights.
While many of the children surveyed initially travelled with family or a loved one, the journey often resulted in painful separation. In Ciudad Juárez, nearly two in three children (63.5%) left home with a parent or guardian, but only about a third arrived in Mexico with someone by their side. This separation leaves children, especially girls, more vulnerable to violence, exploitation, trafficking, and forced recruitment by armed groups.
“Organized crime has many ways of finding and grabbing you. There are many areas where it’s hard to run away if you’re trying to escape,” said José*, a 16-year-old unaccompanied boy interviewed in Ciudad Juárez.
The number of unaccompanied children making the journey to Mexico has surged in recent years, jumping from nearly 69,500 in 2019 to more than 137,000 in 2023, driven by escalating violence, poverty, and climate-related displacement. Many of these children, especially girls, are subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, exploitation, and other dangers as they travel alone in search of safety.
For many of these children, their journey does not end in safety once they reach Mexico’s northern border, but in further hardship. Interviews with the children reveal that they are often forced to live in unsafe conditions for months at a time. In Reynosa, for example, one in three girls interviewed had been living in displacement shelters for over six months, often confined to unsafe areas in high-risk areas, where even basic freedoms, like stepping outside, are restricted by fear of kidnapping.
In Ciudad Juárez, children interviewed also described being forced to leave their homes to escape violence, only to encounter new forms of danger in overcrowded shelters and unsafe neighbourhoods.
“When someone was watching us or making us uncomfortable, we’d say we were going to get water or to the bathroom—just so we could step away or find a way not to come back,” said Estrella*, an 8-year-old girl from central Mexico, describing how she and other girls learned to protect themselves during their journey.
The education among migrants at Mexico’s northern border has also been severely disrupted. Nearly three-quarters (70.3%) of the children interviewed previously attended school, but now more than half (58.1%) are no longer learning inside a classroom. Barriers such as administrative hurdles, security risks, and a lack of formal education in shelters are major factors. Additionally, discrimination and xenophobia in schools are worsening the situation, according to testimonies collected, because “the mothers, fathers and caregivers of the Mexican population do not want their children to live with children on the move.”
The research also found that the emotional toll on migrant children in these cities is immense, especially among those separated from their parents. Many struggle to understand why their parents are no longer with them or why they’ve been living in shelters for extended periods with little to no contact. Despite this and the distressing conditions many face, access to mental health support for migrant children in these three cities was reported to be almost non-existent.
Reena Ghelani, Chief Executive Officer of Plan International, said: “This study has found that migrant children are not finding safety when they cross the border into Mexico —they’re finding more fear, more waiting and more lost time. No child should find themselves in this situation, especially after enduring such a perilous journey to find safety. They need support now – including protection, access to safe shelter, education and mental health care. We are seeing families so desperate that children are being forced to consider returning to the very places they fled from. That should never be their only option.”
Fátima Andraca, Programmes and Humanitarian Director in Save the Children in Mexico, said: “Migrant and internally displaced girls face severe risks and are systematically denied their fundamental rights — including access to education and protection. Our joint study sheds light on the challenges these girls endure and presents actionable solutions to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting migrant children in Mexico. In times like these, the collective commitment of society is more important than ever. Together, we must ensure that every girl has the opportunity to thrive — no matter where she comes from or where she’s going.”
In light of these findings, Plan International and Save the Children in Mexico are calling for an immediate and coordinated response. This includes strengthening child protection systems in border cities across Mexico, ensuring inclusive and safe access to education and mental health care, and providing dignified shelter arrangements that prioritise the needs of children and adolescents, especially girls, fleeing violence and instability.
Save the Children has been working in Mexico since 1973 with health and nutrition, education, and protection programmes for children on the move in the country.
