The Trump administration has escalated its oversight of migrant children, removing hundreds from homes where they were already living in the U.S. and placing them in federal custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. In many cases, the children have been separated from their parents or relatives, making it more difficult for families to reunite.
This shift in immigration policy comes as Trump and his top advisers repeatedly criticize the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border, claiming that hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied children entered the country without proper oversight. While officials from the Biden era acknowledge the strain caused by the surge in child migrants in 2021, they reject the notion that large numbers of children are “missing” from the system.
This narrative has helped justify the Trump team’s creation of a makeshift “war room” to comb through sensitive data and deploy federal agents to homes nationwide. Since Trump returned to the White House, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has taken about 500 children into federal custody following so-called “welfare checks.” In many instances, the real reason behind these interventions has been the immigration status of their sponsors—often the children’s own parents or relatives—rather than any proven threat to the children’s safety.
The FBI has also been involved in some of these visits, prompting internal concern. According to one law enforcement official, some agents fear the effort is more focused on targeting undocumented relatives than safeguarding children. An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency’s participation, stating that protecting children is a top priority.
Meanwhile, new verification procedures have made it nearly impossible for some parents or guardians to reclaim their children once in government custody. According to advocates, experts, and former officials from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the new measures are directly harming vulnerable minors. “They’re trying to choke the program,” one source told CNN, “and it’s the children who are paying the price.”
Unaccompanied migrant children are initially placed under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an agency within HHS that runs temporary shelters across the country. Currently, more than 2,500 children remain in ORR custody, with average stays significantly longer than in previous years.
Internally, officials admit that new policy guidelines have reduced the chances of releasing children to sponsors, leading to longer stays in detention. Some of the children have reported symptoms of depression, according to sources familiar with internal discussions.
During his first term, Trump faced fierce backlash for separating families at the southern border under the “zero tolerance” policy. Now, his administration is separating children from their sponsors—many of whom are relatives—under the pretext of welfare concerns.
However, advocates and former HHS officials point out that post-release monitoring programs already exist to ensure children’s safety. They argue that the administration’s latest actions are not only unnecessary but harmful. “It’s scaring people, and it’s unnecessary,” said Laura Nally, director of the Children’s Program at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights.
While some cases of trafficking or exploitation have been documented, critics argue that sending immigration enforcement agents rather than child welfare professionals for home checks instills fear and mistrust within affected communities.
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