U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has come under fire after an internal watchdog report revealed that the agency has lost track of tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors over the past five years. The report, titled “Management Alert – ICE Cannot Monitor All Unaccompanied Migrant Children Released from DHS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Custody,” was sent to Congress on Tuesday.
According to the report, over 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children are no longer accounted for by ICE. The agency was unable to monitor the location and status of these children who were released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and did not appear for their scheduled immigration court hearings.
The report highlighted the challenges ICE faces in overseeing unaccompanied migrant children through the immigration process, noting that the agency often fails to monitor the location and status of these children once they are released from government custody. The numbers could be even higher, as approximately 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children have not yet been marked for removal proceedings due to ICE’s failure to schedule court dates and serve notices.
The findings have raised concerns about the agency’s ability to manage the influx of migrants from South America and ensure the safety and well-being of unaccompanied minors. The report has sparked calls for accountability and improved coordination between ICE, DHS, and HHS to prevent further lapses in monitoring and tracking unaccompanied migrant children.
The report was issued by Inspector General Joseph Cuffari and addressed to ICE Deputy Director and Senior Official Patrick Lechleitner. The agency has faced criticism in recent years for its handling of immigration issues, and the latest revelations are likely to reignite debates over immigration policy and enforcement practices.
