Alien Children Protection Act of 2001

This bill, introduced in 2001, sought to establish specific legal protections and housing requirements for unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 who are in the United States without legal status. It would require that these children be held in age-appropriate facilities rather than adult detention centers while awaiting immigration proceedings and mandates the appointment of a guardian to represent the child’s best interests. Additionally, the legislation would allow the government to grant permanent residency to these minors if they have lived in the U.S. for five years or if returning to their home country would result in abuse.