Child-centered alternatives that prioritize family unity, health care access and well-being should be considered, rather than law enforcement
August 24, 2026 - ITASCA, IL--The American Academy of Pediatrics calls for greater humanitarian protection involving child welfare and health experts for immigrant children received and assessed at the United States border within a new policy statement.
Specifically, when children arrive at the border, they are seeking safety and should be protected, not detained or separated from their families, according to the statement, “Reception and Assessment of Immigrant Children and Families Seeking U.S. Humanitarian Protection: Upholding the Best Interest of the Child,” published in the September 2026 Pediatrics.
“Children and families fleeing violence, persecution and environmental crises have a recognized right to seek humanitarian protection,” said J. Raul Gutierrez, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement, created by the Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health (COICFH).
“They face health and well-being risks throughout the migration journey—risks often compounded by U.S. immigration policies and enforcement practices that don’t have children’s best interests in mind,” Dr. Gutierrez said. “The AAP recommends child-centered alternatives that prioritize family unity, health care access and support rather than a law enforcement approach.”
The policy statement, published online Aug. 24, was written by medical experts, reflects the latest evidence in the field, and has underwent several rounds of peer review before being approved by the AAP Board of Directors and published in Pediatrics.?
The AAP states that the Best Interest of the Child (BIOTC) framework, the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, and trauma-informed care principles should govern all aspects of reception.
“No matter how far they are from the border, pediatricians see the direct impact of immigration policies in their exam rooms,” said Sural Shah, MD, FAAP, chair of the Council on Immigrant Child and Family Health. “Poor conditions, limited access to care, and a traumatic custody experience jeopardize the health and wellbeing of children seeking safety in our communities.”
The policy statement recommends:
- Reception should be a humanitarian response, not a law enforcement process.
- Decisions about children should be guided by the best interests of the child.
- Medical and mental health care should be timely, child-focused, and informed by pediatric expertise.
- Trauma-informed care should shape every stage of reception.
- Reception settings should meet accepted child welfare standards for safety and care.
- Ongoing oversight should be used to improve quality, safety and accountability.
- Family unity should be preserved unless child welfare experts identify an immediate safety concern.
- Children should not face policies that interfere with their right to seek humanitarian protection.
Detaining children and separating them from their families also causes real harm, and there are safer, proven, community-based alternatives. Detention should never happen and separation should be a last resort – not an automatic default, according to AAP.
“To be clear, this is about children’s lives, not political points—it’s about aligning U.S. policy with the best evidence , and our shared responsibility to protect children,” Dr. Gutierrez said. “Our communities and society are stronger when we support and keep our children healthy, wherever they may be.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics