Washington, D.C. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is ramping up efforts to locate unaccompanied immigrant children across the United States, raising concerns about potential deportations and legal action against their adult sponsors. The agency’s approach has drawn criticism from advocates, who argue it represents a troubling shift toward what they describe as “backdoor family separation.”
Recently, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE have initiated “welfare checks” on these children, most of whom entered the U.S. alone, primarily via the U.S.-Mexico border. While government officials claim these visits are intended to ensure the safety of these minors, internal documents suggest that ICE’s objectives extend into immigration enforcement and criminal investigations related to both the children and their sponsors.
Critics like Michelle Méndez, from the National Immigration Project, argue that the welfare checks are misleading. “It’s clear that the intent is not merely monitoring the children’s wellbeing,” she said. These operations, according to Méndez, are part of a broader aim to criminalize minors or their guardians, effectively undermining family unity.
ICE’s actions align with a directive from the previous administration, which emphasized tracking and deporting unaccompanied immigrant minors. Many experts indicate that recent months have seen intensified scrutiny of these children, with ICE ramping up efforts to ascertain whether they pose a “flight risk” or public safety threat.
Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, expressed concern that these operations disguise enforcement efforts as welfare checks. “What we’re witnessing is an intelligence-gathering mission under the guise of child welfare,” Aber stated.
A troubling aspect of these operations involves targeting children allegedly linked to gangs or terrorist organizations. Recent reports indicate that the Trump administration has enacted swift arrests and deportations of immigrants, particularly from Central American countries, based on tenuous evidence of gang affiliations. This practice has ignited controversy and led to legal challenges, as many argue it undermines fundamental legal protections.
The atmosphere of fear has trickled down to individual cases. A 16-year-old girl confronted by ICE during a welfare check expressed panic and confusion, reaching out to her attorney for reassurance. “She was terrified and unsure about what might happen next,” her attorney reported.
Under the new push, two distinct divisions within ICE—Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)—are coordinating actions aimed at these vulnerable minors. While ERO is primarily responsible for deportations, HSI focuses on criminal investigations. Their collaboration signifies a shift toward more aggressive enforcement strategies.
Legal advocates, like Becky Wolozin from the National Center for Youth Law, question the intentions behind these actions, noting the resulting trauma inflicted on children and families. “The reality of these visits contradicts any positive narrative spun by authorities,” she remarked.
Historically, unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S. border have been placed under the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) after being processed by Customs and Border Protection. A separate path involving the tracking of children’s sponsors has developed in recent years, particularly during the last administration, creating a precarious balance between humanitarian care and legal action.
Despite some successes in protecting children from true trafficking situations, the fear of exploitation has been exploited politically. Officials from both sides of the political spectrum have debated the safety of these placements, with some attributing past failures to inadequate oversight and the actions of sponsors affiliated with human trafficking networks.
With new policies permitting the sharing of sensitive information between ORR and ICE, advocates warn that many undocumented sponsors may face deportation simply for stepping forward to help these children, further complicating an already delicate situation.
“We’re seeing a climate of fear that could negatively impact the lives of these children. The psychological toll is significant,” Aber cautioned. As the current administration takes shape, the policies surrounding immigrant children remain a contentious point of debate, underscoring the ongoing struggle for human rights amid complex immigration issues.