The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General (IG) report has uncovered that ICE lost track of over 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children in the last five years. This finding has sparked serious concerns about the safety, wellbeing, and potential exposure to exploitation of these vulnerable children.
The report highlights the federal agencies’ deficiencies in oversight and tracking protocols. ICE transferred more than 448,000 unaccompanied children to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from fiscal years 2019 to 2023 but failed to account for the whereabouts of these children after release.
Moreover, ICE’s inability to schedule court dates and serve notices of removal proceedings left approximately 291,000 unaccompanied children without accountability. The watchdog report suggests that ICE’s failure to issue Notices to Appear (NTAs) significantly contributed to the issue.
Where are the Democrat visits to the border to spotlight tens of thousands of missing migrant children, if not hundreds of thousands, in Biden and Harris’s border crisis? Where is the outrage from Elizabeth Warren, AOC, the Squad, when they attacked Trump for saying what border… https://t.co/lS6SJaHJsD
— Elizabeth MacDonald (@LizMacDonaldFOX) August 20, 2024
Increasing Numbers and Rising Concerns
Over the past decade, more than 700,000 unaccompanied children arrived in the U.S. alone. The number of unaccompanied minors entering the U.S. reached 130,000 last year, three times the number five years ago. This increasing trend further emphasizes the urgent need for reforms.
Unfortunately, less than 1% of the 3,340 reported missing migrant children from October 2019 to April 2023 have been located. The growing number of calls reporting missing or runaway migrant children more than doubled each year since 2020.
“During our ongoing audit to assess ICE’s ability to monitor the location and status of UCs who were released or transferred from the custody of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), we learned ICE transferred more than 448,000 UCs to HHS from fiscal years 2019 to 2023. However, ICE was not able to account for the location of all UCs who were released by HHS and did not appear as scheduled in immigration court. ICE reported more than 32,000 UCs failed to appear for their immigration court hearings from FYs 2019 to 2023.”
The report stresses the need for ICE and HHS to develop an automated system to track court appearances and maintain address information to ensure the safety of these children. “Without an ability to monitor the location and status of UCs, ICE has no assurance UCs are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor,” the report indicates.
The Risk to Vulnerable Children
The inability to track children after their release from custody directly increases the risk of trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor. Many children are found working in dangerous, low-paying jobs instead of attending school, exacerbating their vulnerability. This systemic failure is further compounded by the revelation that HHS could not reach more than 85,000 children over the last two years during follow-up checks.
“Without an ability to monitor the location and status of UCs, ICE has no assurance UCs are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor,” the report states.
The need for a robust tracking and oversight system has become urgent. The watchdog recommends taking immediate action to monitor the location and status of unaccompanied children to prevent potential dangers and ensure their safety.
Sources
- Feds lost track of more than 30K migrant children released into US, inspector general says
- “Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S.”