Gaspar Marcos is not alone. His story mirrors that of countless other youth fleeing Central America and making their way up to the U.S., alone and trying to fend for themselves. There is such low visibility for these youth, though, that not much is being done to change the situation, at least not in front of the public eye.

In an article by Maura M. Ooi, titled "Unaccompanied Should Not Mean Unprotected: The Inadequacies of Relief for Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors", immigration law is explored from the standpoint of children and how they are affected by the legal framework of immigration and what their life experience is like upon arriving to the U.S. with no parent or legal guardian to turn to. These children have to navigate school, work, providing for themselves, finding a place to live, and being told that their rights (and even who they are) don't exist. Many youth who try to make it across the border don't even make it that far, often being met with outrageous environmental conditions, unethical traffickers, and a whole array of other obstacles. These issues don't even begin to explain what may happen to them if they are apprehended by the officials. Ooi's article delves into the legal considerations that have been given to migrant youth and what needs to change in order to make it a more just system, especially protecting the rights and well-being of unaccompanied minors who immigrate to the U.S.

Overall, the issue of migrant youth, whatever their status may be, needs to be addressed in a way that keeps them safe and helps them take care of their needs. Whether its schools like Belmont High School in LA being aware of their student population and attempting to make a safe school environment, universities like Loyola being a safe community for undocumented students, or other more tangible and immediate sources of aid for these youth, this situation can't stay the same.