Street-level bureaucrats implement public policy in daily face-to-face encounters with individuals. Through the sequence of decisions they make in these interactions, street-level bureaucrats govern the individuals they interact with. But, a lot is unknown about these interactions and the governance that occurs within them. This article investigates the encounters between street-level bureaucrats who implement immigration policy and Central American children who crossed the U.S.–Mexico border without their parents. Using process mapping and content analysis, the article seeks to determine the points at which street-level bureaucrats interact with unaccompanied migrant children, the agencies these street-level bureaucrats represent, and the responsibilities they have in the process. The findings of this study highlight the complexity through which street-level bureaucrats govern this vulnerable population and the import of their decisions, which construct the experience and outcome for unaccompanied migrant children. © The Author(s) 2018.

Migration immigration discretion interactions Unaccompanied children Street-level bureaucrats Governance

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