This thesis aims to analyze the extent to which agency of unaccompanied children in transit is fostered at the US-Mexico border between 2009-2020. Firstly, the concept of agency in child migration...Show moreThis thesis aims to analyze the extent to which agency of unaccompanied children in transit is fostered at the US-Mexico border between 2009-2020. Firstly, the concept of agency in child migration will be defined. Secondly, an analysis of the social, political, and legal context will provide insight into the current situation of unaccompanied children at the border. Finally, a thematic analysis of a corpus of Mexican and US case law, state policy reviews and NGO reports will reveal the experiences of unaccompanied children at the border. These findings on agency will be supported by a small case study of an individual narrative. The results of the analysis give evidence that unaccompanied children are caught in an agency-repressive cycle. Due to the violations of children’s rights by the US and Mexico, unaccompanied children’s agency is not fostered at the border. Moreover, children’s expressions of agency lead to diminished acknowledgment of their vulnerability, which results in reduced access to rights for unaccompanied children.Show less