Brazilian officials travelling to US to meet children in shelters

Alan Santos/PR

Brazil's Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Aloysio Nunes Ferreira) and Human Rights (Gustavo Rocha) are travelling to the United States to attempt to find a solution for cases of Brazilian children who were separated from their parents due to being considered illegal immigrants. The trip is scheduled for this Wednesday (4 July).

They will visit Brazilian children and youth currently placed in a Heartland Alliance shelter in Chicago, one of 16 shelters in the United States currently holding Brazilians. On 6 and 7 July, also in Chicago, the cabinet members will meet with the heads of 14 of Brazil's US, Canadian and Mexican diplomatic representations.

Nunes and Rocha will discuss the support being provided to children and teenagers as well as the legal assistance being offered to parents and guardians. "The coordination meeting will carefully review the impacts caused by the US government's current migration policy on Brazilian communities, in particular the situation of minors who are separated from their parents or guardians," the Itamaraty (the headquarters of Brazil's Foreign Ministry) said in a statement.

The portfolio also criticised the separation, which it deemed "a practice in clear violation of international instruments for the protection of children and whose announced revocation we expect to see implemented soon."

Brazilians in the USA

According to the Itamaraty, there are more than 1.6 million Brazilians living in the United States, Canada and Mexico. As last assessed by the federal government, a total of 58 Brazilian children and adolescents who were separated from their parents are placed in 16 shelters in the USA.