Federal investigators have found evidence of child trafficking and labor exploitation among thousands of unaccompanied minors released under the Biden administration. This revelation has brought significant attention to the Trump-era team’s efforts to locate these children, highlighting the systemic issues that arose during the Biden administration’s immigration policies.
The task force was assembled under former border czar Tom Homan to fulfill one of President Trump’s campaign promises. Homan was tasked with finding the unaccounted for children, many of whom had been released to unvetted sponsors or non-family members, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. This team, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, has identified numerous cases where children were subjected to severe exploitation, including sexual abuse and debt bondage.
John Fabbricatore, a senior advisor to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, emphasized the importance of locating these children and addressing the systemic failures that allowed such exploitation to occur. The team has found children in deplorable conditions, with some suffering from drug overdoses and others enduring harsh working environments. Fabbricatore noted that many of the minors located were in situations where they were sexually trafficked, treated as slaves, or faced extreme abuse.
The Trump administration took significant steps to improve the vetting process for children who arrived in the U.S. alone, ensuring that sponsors, typically parents or guardians, were properly screened. These measures included requiring DNA testing, proof of income, criminal background checks, fingerprinting, and identification verification. These steps were designed to ensure the safety of unaccompanied children and prevent their exploitation.
When the Trump administration took office, there was a backlog of over 65,000 unaddressed post-release reports, known as Notifications of Concern, according to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. These reports included allegations ranging from administrative issues to potential trafficking and criminal exploitation. The administration identified approximately 1,700 cases where children under age 12 were placed with unrelated sponsors without evidence of a home study, according to ORR.
The team’s efforts have led to the reunification of many children with their families, either in their countries of origin or in the United States. Fabbricatore noted that the goal is to reunite children with their parents if they are in another country and there is no credible fear claim. This approach reflects the administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of unaccompanied minors, while also addressing the systemic failures of previous policies.