The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has raised serious concerns about ICE’s inability to track unaccompanied migrant children (UACs) released into the United States, The Center Square reports.
The report highlights significant gaps in ICE’s monitoring capabilities, warning that many of these minors could be at risk of trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor.
In a memo addressed to ICE’s deputy director, DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari stated, “We found ICE cannot always monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children who are released from DHS and HHS custody.”
This inability to track the whereabouts of UACs has been flagged as a critical issue, with the report indicating that ICE has no assurance these children are safe once they enter the country.
Majority of Unaccompanied Minors Released Under Biden-Harris Administration
Between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, ICE transferred more than 448,000 unaccompanied minors to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is responsible for their care.
However, most of these transfers—approximately 366,000—took place under the Biden-Harris administration.
Critics, including U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), argue that lax vetting and oversight have placed these children in harm’s way.
“Lax vetting has placed migrant children in grave danger of exploitation and abuse and makes locating these children after placement difficult, something I fear hinders the work of DHS as well,” said Grassley in a statement.
According to the DHS OIG report, ICE has also failed to issue court notices to many of these minors.
Notices to Appear (NTAs) before immigration judges were neglected for 65% of the UACs transferred from DHS custody, leaving more than 291,000 minors without scheduled immigration court hearings.
The report further states that at least 32,000 UACs who were issued NTAs did not show up for their hearings, and ICE currently has no information on their whereabouts.
Concerns About Trafficking and Exploitation Rise
One of the most alarming findings of the report is the heightened risk of trafficking, exploitation, and forced labor that unaccompanied minors may face after entering the U.S.
“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 reads.
Despite the risks, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers have largely failed to search for missing UACs. In fact, only one of the eight field offices visited by OIG staff reported making any efforts to locate these missing minors.
Failure to Track Court Proceedings
The issue of tracking UACs extends to their legal proceedings as well.
The report noted a troubling pattern of federal agencies failing to schedule court dates for asylum or other immigration cases, leading to mass dismissals.
Between January 2021 and February 2024, approximately 200,000 cases were dismissed due to DHS failing to file the necessary paperwork.
This problem is compounded by ICE’s inability to share information internally between its legal advisors and enforcement officers or externally with other agencies like HHS and the Department of Justice.
Calls for Immediate Action
The OIG report concludes by urging ICE to take immediate corrective action to ensure the safety of unaccompanied minors.
Without substantial changes, the situation may continue to worsen, with even more minors potentially slipping through the cracks.
Grassley, along with other legislators, is pushing for reforms in how the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) handles the placement of migrant children, following multiple reports of sexual abuse and allegations of exploitation.
The safety and future of these vulnerable minors remain uncertain as federal agencies grapple with resource limitations, lack of oversight, and a growing number of unaccounted-for UACs.