San Salvador, January 6 (RHC)-- Salvadoran authorities have criticized U.S. immigration policy for criminalizing migrants, urging respect for migrants' rights.

On Tuesday, El Salvador’s Human Rights Ombudsman, David Morales, expressed concern over the mass deportation of Salvadorans and other Central Americans from the U.S., as part of a campaign to crack down on undocumented migrants.

Morales indicated that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to deport thousands of undocumented Central American families and unaccompanied children, is likely to put at risk the human rights of migrants living in the U.S.

The human rights expert also called for due process to be exercised in all migration processes and urged U.S. authorities to ensure that all detentions and deportations are carried out legally through with the proper legal documentation.

Echoing similar statements made by the Honduran government Tuesday, Morales called for U.S. immigration authorities to respect the dignity and human rights of undocumented migrants, especially children, and to strive to uphold the internationally recognized right to family unity.