July 29, 2026
A federal agency responsible for the care and placement of unaccompanied migrant children provided more than 460,000 leads to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to internal government information reviewed by Reuters.
The information reportedly concerned children, their proposed sponsors and other people living in sponsor households. The data covered the period from January 2025 through the middle of 2026 and reportedly contributed to more than 12,000 arrests.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement is responsible for caring for unaccompanied minors until they can be placed with suitable sponsors, who are frequently relatives residing in the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security said information sharing helped authorities locate children placed with potentially insufficiently screened sponsors, including some individuals with criminal histories.
Former officials and immigrant-rights advocates have raised concerns that connecting the placement process with immigration enforcement may discourage relatives—particularly those without secure immigration status—from volunteering to sponsor children.
If fewer relatives come forward, unaccompanied minors could remain in federal custody longer. The development has therefore renewed debate over how the government should balance child protection, sponsor screening and immigration enforcement.
