- Trump administration has directed ICE to track down and deport unaccompanied minors without a parent or legal guardian
- ICE is leveraging multiple data sources to locate children and undocumented adults in the same households
- Officials claim up to 300,000 unaccompanied minors were unaccounted for under the Biden administration
The Trump administration is ramping up efforts to deport unaccompanied migrant children who entered the U.S. without a parent or legal guardian, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo obtained by Reuters and ABC News.
The initiative marks an expansion of the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which has drawn sharp criticism in the past.
The internal document, titled the "Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation," outlines a four-phase operation aimed at tracking
down and processing unaccompanied minors. While the document does not specify a start date for enforcement, planning began on January 27.
Since 2019, over 600,000 migrant children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border alone, many fleeing violence, economic hardship, and instability in their home countries.
A significant number of these children were released to sponsors in the U.S. while awaiting immigration proceedings.
However, tens of thousands have since been ordered deported—more than 31,000 for missing court hearings, according to immigration court data.
Tracking and prioritising migrant children for deportation
ICE has categorised unaccompanied minors into three priority groups: "flight risk," "public safety," and "border security."
The agency is prioritising children labelled as flight risks, those who have missed immigration hearings, or those who were placed with sponsors who are not their blood relatives.
The administration is utilising multiple databases and government records to track down these minors.
Additionally, ICE’s field offices have been given discretion on how to locate and serve deportation notices to these individuals.
The approach is expected to not only target the children but could also lead to the apprehension of unauthorised adults living in the same households.
DNA testing and stricter vetting of sponsors
In addition to tracking migrant children, the Trump administration has introduced stricter vetting measures for their sponsors.
These include mandatory fingerprinting of sponsors and household members and increased access to records from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the agency responsible for sheltering unaccompanied children.
Furthermore, Melissa Harper, a former ICE official and current head of ORR, revealed in a staff meeting that DNA testing may be used to verify familial relationships.
It remains unclear whether this will be applied universally or only in cases where fraud or trafficking concerns arise.
Claims of lost migrant children, human trafficking risks
The administration has justified this initiative by citing concerns about child trafficking and exploitation.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has claimed that approximately 300,000 unaccompanied children went missing under the Biden administration, allegedly making them vulnerable to trafficking.
However, immigration advocates argue that these figures lack context, as ORR is not required to track children after they are placed with sponsors.
A 2023 report from a Department of Homeland Security watchdog highlighted that ICE had failed to issue court notices to over 291,000 unaccompanied minors in the past five years.
Additionally, more than 32,000 children failed to appear for their immigration hearings, making it difficult for authorities to account for their whereabouts.
Concerns over child welfare
Immigration rights advocates have condemned the administration’s approach, warning that it does not prioritise the well-being of vulnerable children.
Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defence (KIND), stressed the importance of ensuring these children receive proper legal representation.
“The unique needs of children require the administration to ensure a level of care that takes into account their vulnerability while determining whether they need long-term protection in the United States,” Young said.
She urged the government to collaborate with legal service providers to help children navigate the immigration system before making final deportation decisions.
A renewed immigration crackdown
The Trump administration has a history of strict immigration policies, including the widely criticised "zero tolerance" policy that resulted in family separations at the border in 2018.
Although that policy was officially halted due to public outrage, reports suggest that hundreds of children remain separated from their parents.
With these new directives, ICE is expected to intensify its efforts to locate and deport unaccompanied minors, a move that could reignite debates over the U.S. government’s treatment of migrant children and the ethical implications of such enforcement actions.
US deports hundreds as Trump administration launches crackdown on illegal immigration
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the United States deported hundreds of undocumented immigrants following a directive from President Donald Trump to intensify efforts against illegal immigration.
The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, announced the arrest of 538 undocumented immigrants, including a suspected terrorist and individuals with serious criminal records.