Latest news with #UnaccompaniedAlienChildrenJointInitiativeFieldImplementation
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE directed to find and remove unaccounted for migrant minors
(NewsNation) — Federal immigration agents are being tasked by the White House to track down and remove about 600,000 children who entered the United States illegally and without their parents or other adults since 2019. But the targets of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement search are, in many cases, teenagers who now may be scattered across several states. Roughly 61% of those being sought by federal agents are young men between the ages of 14 and 17, data shows, the majority of whom are from Guatemala (32%), Honduras (20%), Mexico (20%) and El Salvador (8%). 'Now, the pressure is on to identify these individuals and not to take it for granted that just because of their age, they're good to go,' Victor Avila, a former special agent with Homeland Security Investigations, told NewsNation. Inside Texas DPS' war on human, drug smuggling In many cases, Avila said that some of the unaccompanied minors who entered the U.S. lied about their age because assistant U.S. attorneys would decline to prosecute them because of their age in the past. The White House directive to ICE is part of the Trump administration's mass deportation mission. A memo sent to ICE agents outlines an unprecedented push to target migrant children, which will be carried out in four phases, the memo said. During his first term, Trump introduced a 'zero tolerance' policy that led to the separation of migrant children from their parents at the border. The children were sent to children's shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a government agency housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, while their parents were detained or deported. Of the 540,000 unaccompanied minors who entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration, about 470,000 were released to sponsors. According to data reviewed by NewsNation, about 3,000 migrant children who were released to a family member or a sponsor are living in Texas. The data shows that California and New York are also popular destinations. Congress has said that about 320,000 of the migrant minors are unaccounted for, meaning that phone calls placed to family members or sponsors were not answered or addresses provided for these migrants were not accurate. About 6,000 migrant children are in Health and Human Services custody and are spread out through 297 facilities. Diddy seeks to suppress evidence he claims was obtained illegally Individual ICE field offices will determine 'how to best locate, make contact, and serve immigration documents as appropriate for individual targets when conducting enforcement actions' involving unaccompanied children, the memo said. As well as enforcing immigration laws, the memo, entitled the 'Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation,' said the initiative aims to ensure that children are not victims of human trafficking or other exploitation. The memo said the children would be served a notice to appear in immigration court or deported if deportation orders were pending against them. Reuters contributed reporting to this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration directing ICE to track down unaccompanied minors: Source
President Donald Trump's administration is directing immigration agents to track down unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S., a source familiar with the plans told ABC News. An internal document from Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE), headlined the "Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation," said the initiative claims to prevent children from being human trafficked or other types of exploitation. There are more than 600,000 migrant children who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a legal guardian or parent since 2019, according to government data. MORE: California family leaves the US, scared of potential ICE raid The initiative, according to the source familiar, claims to ensure migrant children are not victims of human trafficking or victims of other forms of exploitation. The plan, which lays out four phases of implementation, said minors would be served a notice to appear in immigration court or deported -- if deportation orders were pending against them. ICE collected data on unaccompanied minors and sorted them into three groups: "flight risk," "public safety" and "border security." Agents were told to prioritize "flight risk" minors, including those who have received orders of deportation for missing court hearings, the source said of the internal document. The move from the Trump administration comes after Republicans claimed last year that the Biden administration "lost 300,000" migrant children -- a figure experts and advocates say lacks context. The claims come from a DHS internal watchdog report last year that found that ICE had not served notices to appear to more than 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children. The internal watchdog warned that in the past five years, more than 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children failed to appear for their immigration court hearings, and ICE was "not able to account" for all of their locations. MORE: Guantanamo Bay migrant detainees removed from base: ICE "The unique needs of children require the administration to ensure a level of care that takes into account their vulnerability while it determines whether they need long-term protection in the United States," Wendy Young, the President of Kids in Need of Defense said in a statement to ABC News. "To be successful in its goals, the government must partner with legal service providers and the vast network of private sector pro bono partners who provide millions of dollars in free legal services to ensure children understand the process and can share their reasons for seeking safety in the United States. Then the government can decide with confidence who needs protection and who can safely return to their country of origin," Young added. Reuters first reported the contents of the internal document from ICE. Trump administration directing ICE to track down unaccompanied minors: Source originally appeared on
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Exclusive-Trump administration directs ICE agents to find, deport unaccompanied migrant children
By Marisa Taylor, Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration is directing immigration agents to track down hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the United States without their parents, expanding the president's mass deportation effort, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo outlines an unprecedented push to target migrant children who crossed the border illegally as unaccompanied minors. It lays out four phases of implementation, beginning with a planning phase on January 27, though it did not provide a start date for enforcement operations. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. More than 600,000 immigrant children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian since 2019, according to government data, as the number of migrants caught crossing illegally reached record levels. Tens of thousands have been ordered deported over the same time frame, including more than 31,000 for missing court hearings, immigration court data show. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to a request for comment about the memo and the Trump administration's plans. During his first term, Trump introduced a "zero tolerance" policy that led to the separation of migrant children from their parents at the border. The children were sent to children's shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a government agency housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, while their parents were detained or deported. The separation of families, including babies from nursing mothers, was met with widespread international outrage. Trump halted the policy in 2018, though up to 1,000 children may still remain separated from parents, according to Lee Gelernt, the lead American Civil Liberties Union attorney in a related legal challenge. As well as enforcing immigration laws, the memo, headlined the 'Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation,' said the initiative aims to ensure that children are not victims of human trafficking or other forms of exploitation. The memo said the children would be served a notice to appear in immigration court or deported, if deportation orders were pending against them. In the memo, ICE said it had collected data from a number of sources on unaccompanied minors and sorted them into three priority groups, "flight risk", "public safety" and "border security." It directed agents to focus on children deemed 'flight risks' - including those ordered deported for missing court hearings and those released to sponsors who are not blood relatives. The agency uses several databases and government records to track down targets. DNA TESTS Under the law, migrants who have exhausted their legal options to stay can be removed, even if they are children. But the U.S. government has limited resources and typically prioritizes arresting adults with criminal records. Unaccompanied children began arriving in large numbers a decade ago due to violence and economic instability in their home countries - and U.S. immigration policies that enabled them to enter and often remain. The majority are from Central America and Mexico. Some migrated to join parents already in the United States; many traveled with family members or smugglers. From ORR custody, children are released to sponsors, usually parents or relatives, as immigration authorities weigh their cases to remain in the country. Trump's border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly claimed that some 300,000 unaccompanied children went missing during Biden's presidency and were at risk of trafficking and exploitation. Beyond initial follow-up calls, ORR was not obligated to track the whereabouts of the children after they left custody. Many are now adults or living with their parents. Individual ICE field offices will determine 'how to best locate, make contact, and serve immigration documents as appropriate for individual targets, when conducting enforcement actions,' involving unaccompanied children, the memo said. Because the children often live in households with adults without authorization to be in the United States, their addresses could also help ICE boost its overall arrest numbers. During his first administration, Trump used data gathered to vet sponsors of unaccompanied children to target them for arrests. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has taken steps to tighten vetting of sponsors. These include requiring sponsors and adult household members to submit fingerprints for background checks, according to guidance issued last week. The Trump administration has also expanded its access to ORR's database of children and their sponsors, two sources familiar with the matter said. Mellissa Harper, a former ICE official who now heads ORR, told a staff meeting on Thursday that the agency plans to use DNA tests to establish familial relationships, one of the sources said. It was unclear whether DNA tests would be used only on cases that raised a red flag, or on a routine basis. Harper said at the meeting that ICE was pursuing 247,000 tips related to fraud, trafficking and smuggling of unaccompanied minors and referring cases to the FBI for further investigation, the person said.
Reuters
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Trump officials launch ICE effort to deport unaccompanied migrant children
WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - The Trump administration is directing immigration agents to track down hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the United States without their parents, expanding the president's mass deportation effort, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo outlines an unprecedented push to target migrant children who crossed the border illegally as unaccompanied minors. It lays out four phases of implementation, beginning with a planning phase on January 27, though it did not provide a start date for enforcement operations. More than 600,000 immigrant children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian since 2019, according to government data, as the number of migrants caught crossing illegally reached record levels. Tens of thousands have been ordered deported over the same time frame, including more than 31,000 for missing court hearings, immigration court data show. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to a request for comment about the memo and the Trump administration's plans. During his first term, Trump introduced a"zero tolerance" policy that led to the separation of migrant children from their parents at the border. The children were sent to children's shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a government agency housed within the Department of Health and Human Services, while their parents were detained or deported. The separation of families, including babies from nursing mothers, was met with widespread international outrage. Trump halted the policy in 2018, though up to 1,000 children may still remain separated from parents, according to Lee Gelernt, the lead American Civil Liberties Union attorney in a related legal challenge. As well as enforcing immigration laws, the memo, headlined the 'Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation,' said the initiative aims to ensure that children are not victims of human trafficking or other forms of exploitation. The memo said the children would be served a notice to appear in immigration court or deported, if deportation orders were pending against them. In the memo, ICE said it had collected data from a number of sources on unaccompanied minors and sorted them into three priority groups, "flight risk", "public safety" and "border security." It directed agents to focus on children deemed 'flight risks' - including those ordered deported for missing court hearings and those released to sponsors who are not blood relatives. The agency uses several databases and government records to track down targets. DNA TESTS Under the law, migrants who have exhausted their legal options to stay can be removed, even if they are children. But the U.S. government has limited resources and typically prioritizes arresting adults with criminal records. Unaccompanied children began arriving in large numbers a decade ago due to violence and economic instability in their home countries - and U.S. immigration policies that enabled them to enter and often remain. The majority are from Central America and Mexico. Some migrated to join parents already in the United States; many traveled with family members or smugglers. From ORR custody, children are released to sponsors, usually parents or relatives, as immigration authorities weigh their cases to remain in the country. Trump's border czar Tom Homan has repeatedly claimed that some 300,000 unaccompanied children went missing during Biden's presidency and were at risk of trafficking and exploitation. Beyond initial follow-up calls, ORR was not obligated to track the whereabouts of the children after they left custody. Many are now adults or living with their parents. Individual ICE field offices will determine 'how to best locate, make contact, and serve immigration documents as appropriate for individual targets, when conducting enforcement actions,' involving unaccompanied children, the memo said. Because the children often live in households with adults without authorization to be in the United States, their addresses could also help ICE boost its overall arrest numbers. During his first administration, Trump used data gathered to vet sponsors of unaccompanied children to target them for arrests. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has taken steps to tighten vetting of sponsors. These include requiring sponsors and adult household members to submit fingerprints for background checks, according to guidance issued last week. The Trump administration has also expanded its access to ORR's database of children and their sponsors, two sources familiar with the matter said. Mellissa Harper, a former ICE official who now heads ORR, told a staff meeting on Thursday that the agency plans to use DNA tests to establish familial relationships, one of the sources said. It was unclear whether DNA tests would be used only on cases that raised a red flag, or on a routine basis. Harper said at the meeting that ICE was pursuing 247,000 tips related to fraud, trafficking and smuggling of unaccompanied minors and referring cases to the FBI for further investigation, the person said.
