Trump reforms migrant program after US loses track of more than 300K children

Mar 28

Kalé Carey Reporter

By Kalé Carey (Reporter), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

The Trump administration removed the Biden-era rule blocking immigration status sharing. The change allows authorities to share immigration information, aiding efforts to track unaccompanied minors and ensure their safety.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement failed to serve notices to appear for more than 291,000 children.
Health and Human Services is investigating cases of human trafficking and improving oversight of sponsor vetting.

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The Trump administration rolled back a rule at the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) that prevented sharing information on immigration status with authorities. The policy, introduced under President Joe Biden, is being rescinded after officials stated it directly conflicted with federal law and caused critical gaps in child protection.

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Rescinding rule to protect migrant children

This change comes as part of efforts to improve the safety and care of unaccompanied migrant children. Many of these children, who arrive without a parent or guardian, have been at risk of falling through the cracks in the immigration system. The new policy change ensures proper placement, care and services for these vulnerable minors.

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When unaccompanied minors enter the U.S. illegally, border agents detain them before transferring them to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS then places the children with sponsors, who are not always required to be family members.

Trump officials cited two laws when they announced the policy change was in effect on Tuesday, March 25, in the Federal Register.

Under the new rule, the ORR, HHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will be able to better coordinate efforts to track the status of unaccompanied children.

Inspector general’s findings: Gaps in monitoring

However, between 2019 and 2023, ICE transferred over 448,000 children to HHS, with 32,000 missing their scheduled immigration court hearings, which left them unmonitored and potentially at risk. Additionally, more than 291,000 children had not received a notice to appear in court.

The Office of Inspector General’s report in August 2024 revealed that ICE’s lack of automated processes, poor coordination and resource limitations have resulted in inadequate oversight.

Without proper monitoring, ICE cannot guarantee that these children are safe from trafficking or exploitation.

Investigation into HHS, stronger oversight

In February, Trump administration officials announced that HHS would begin an investigation to locate children who may have fallen into the clutches of human traffickers.

This move follows multiple instances of sexual abuse at 27 shelters operated by the Southwest Key Programs Group, prompting HHS to stop sending unaccompanied children to these facilities in March.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized the urgency, stating it’s time to end the abuse of innocents and human trafficking.

Along with these updates, the Office of Refugee Resettlement is also implementing stronger vetting procedures for sponsors and creating more robust oversight for unaccompanied minors, aiming to prevent further abuse and ensure children’s safety.

Tags: Department of Health and Human Services, Immigrant, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Migrant children, migrants, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shelter, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

[Kalé Carey]

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS MAKING CHANGES AT THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, REMOVING A RULE WHICH BLOCKED SHARING IMMIGRATION STATUS INFORMATION WITH AUTHORITIES.

THIS RULE WAS INTRODUCED UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN, BUT OFFICIALS SAY IT DIRECTLY CONFLICTED WITH FEDERAL LAW AND CAUSED KIDS TO FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

ADDING THE CHANGE IS CRUCIAL FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN WHO ARE UNACCOMPANIED, INCLUDING FOR PLACEMENT, CARE AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO THEM.

MANY OF THESE KIDS CROSSED THE BORDER INTO THE U-S WITHOUT A PARENT OR GUARDIAN AT THEIR SIDE.

WHEN THEY ENTER THE U-S ILLEGALLY, BORDER AGENTS DETAIN THEM… THEY ARE THEN RELEASED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES WHERE THEY PLACE THEM WITH A SPONSOR.

IN MOST CASES, SPONSORS IN THE U-S AREN’T REQUIRED TO BE FAMILY MEMBERS.

BASED ON THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACT OF 2002 AND THE WILLIAM WILBERFORCE TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008, OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ON TUESDAY THAT, DUE TO CONGRESS PASSING THESE LAWS, THE UPDATE IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL SENT OUT AN ALERT STATING ICE AGENTS CANNOT MONITOR MIGRANT CHILDREN RELEASED FROM FEDERAL CUSTODY.

BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023 ICE MOVED 448,000 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN INTO THE CARE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

ONCE CUSTODY CHANGED, ICE TRACKED CHILDREN THROUGH COURT HEARINGS BUT REPORTED 32,000 MISSED THEM, MEANING THE IMMIGRATION AGENCY CAN NO LONGER MONITOR THEIR WHEREABOUTS.

AS OF MAY 2024, OVER 291,000 CHILDREN IN HHS CUSTODY DIDN’T A RECEIVE A NOTICE TO APPEAR IN COURT SO A DATE WAS NEVER SET.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL SAYS THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE ICE LACKS AUTOMATED PROCESSES, HAS POOR COORDINATION AND DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES.

WITHOUT PROPER MONITORING, ICE CAN’T ENSURE THE SAFETY OF UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN, WHO ARE AT A MUCH HIGHER RISK OF TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION.

IMMIGRATION COURT HEARINGS ARE OFTEN ICE’S ONLY CHANCE TO SCREEN CHILDREN IN FEDERAL CUSTODY FOR TRAFFICKING SIGNS OR OTHER SAFETY ISSUES.

IN FEBRUARY, TRUMP OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED HHS WOULD OPEN AN INVESTIGATION TO TRACK DOWN KIDS WHO MAY HAVE FALLEN INTO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

WEEKS LATER IN MARCH, HHS STOPPED SENDING UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN TO 27 SHELTERS OPERATED BY THE SOUTHWEST KEY PROGRAMS GROUP ACROSS THE NATION AFTER MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF SEXUAL ABUSE.

HHS SECRETARY ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. SAID IT’S TIME TO END THE ABUSE OF INNOCENTS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT HAS ALSO ROLLED OUT IMPROVEMENTS TO VETTING SPONSORS AND STRENGTHENED OVERSIGHT OVER UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KALÉ CAREY

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