According to the Inspector General, authorities have lost track of more than 30,000 migrant children released into the United States

WASHINGTON (TN) — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was unable to track down tens of thousands of migrant children who were left alone and released from government custody, according to a report released Monday by a government watchdog.

Inspector General Joseph Cuffari of the Department of Homeland Security found that between 2018 and 2023, ICE transferred more than 448,000 unaccompanied children who came to the United States as minors and unaccompanied by adults to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The immigration court had served them with summonses to appear in immigration court, but more than 32,000 of them failed to show up, Cuffari said. After the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for caring for the children, released them from custody, the immigration court was unable to track them down, according to the report.

Cuffari noted that officers from Enforcement and Removal Operations, a unit of ICE, attempted to locate the children in only one of the eight field offices his team visited.

In addition, the agency did not serve a subpoena to all unaccompanied minors released by HHS and required to appear in court, the inspector general said. According to the report, more than 291,000 children had not yet been scheduled for immigration hearings as of May.

“Although we have more than 32,000 [unaccompanied children] who failed to appear for their immigration court appointments, that number may have been much higher had ICE issued NTAs to the more than 291,000 UCs who were not subject to removal proceedings,” Cuffari wrote.

Because ICE did not deliver the notices, its ability to contact the minors and verify their safety was limited, the inspector general said.

“Without the ability to monitor the location and status of UCs, ICE has no assurance that UCs are safe from human trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor,” the report said.

Cuffari added that the agency must take immediate action to ensure the safety of children as they are at higher risk of trafficking.

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