International Detention Coalition

The International Detention Coalition (IDC) is an organization with presence in Mexico that advocates for limiting the use of immigration detention and promoting alternatives to it. Since 2011, IDC has worked with a host of Mexican government and civil society actors to raise awareness of the impact that immigration detention has on minors. With this award, IDC provides agencies with technical assistance to implement an alternative model of detention that includes screening, referral, care, and non-punitive housing for migrant children by two private shelter organizations in collaboration with social service agencies.

This project will draw attention to the situation faced by unaccompanied migrant children in Mexico and Central America. The International Detention Coalition will develop and test one of the first programs in the region to keep migrant children out of jail-like immigration detention centers and provide them with necessary care and protection. The Coalition will also advocate for establishing procedures for determining the best interest of the child within Mexico’s immigration system. Activities include a roundtable discussion with international experts to learn from experiences outside the region, as well as public presentations on the impact of immigration detention for children.