Catholic Church in Mexico urges priority for migrant children's rights

The Catholic Church in Mexico is calling for the protection of children and adolescents to be the central focus of migration efforts. In an editorial titled ‘Before they are migrants, they are children’ published in the weekly Desde la Fe, the Mexican Archdiocese emphasized that every minor crossing the country must have their dignity and rights protected regardless of their migratory status.

Citing data from Mexican migration authorities, the Church noted that during 2025, Child Protection Officers attended to 15,656 foreign children and adolescents in migratory situations. Of these, 14,655 were traveling with companions and 1,001 were traveling alone.

The Church warned that many minors are exposed to violence, hunger, discrimination, human trafficking, and family separation. It also reminded the public that individuals in transit have the right to access public education in Mexico, stressing that the response to migration must go beyond immediate needs to ensure children can study, play, and feel safe within a community.