The Federal Government of Somalia and the Somaliland administration have adopted legal and policy provisions that discourage the detention of children for immigration-related reasons, emphasizing that the best interests of the child must be the guiding principle in all decisions affecting them. Both jurisdictions promote protective care over detention, particularly for unaccompanied or separated minors, in accordance with international child protection standards. Legal frameworks prioritize alternative care arrangements such as supervised community housing, foster care, and guardianship programs to ensure the safety, dignity, and well-being of children. In Somaliland, the Refugee and Asylum-Seekers Act of 2023 reinforces the importance of non-custodial measures for children and calls for the involvement of child welfare authorities in all cases involving minors. Similarly, Somalia’s national child protection and social welfare policies recognize the vulnerability of displaced children and emphasize family-based or community-based care as a preferred alternative to detention. These provisions reflect a strong alignment with international instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and UNHCR’s guidelines on child protection, demonstrating both governments’ commitment to safeguarding the rights of refugee and asylum-seeking children.