A new report has revealed that the Trump administration has removed hundreds of migrant children from their homes and placed them in government custody, often separating them from their families and making it harder for them to be released.
CNN detailed that approximately 500 children have been taken back into government custody following "welfare checks" by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), often resulting from either concerns about child safety or enforcement actions against sponsors—frequently the children's own family members.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the checks are designed to ensure children "are safe and not being exploited," noting that the effort has led to arrests of some sponsors and subsequent transfers of children to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).
However, critics argue that these actions risk undermining child welfare systems already in place. "They're trying to suffocate the program, which only hurts the children we're statutorily and legally mandated to serve," one source told CNN.
The FBI has assisted in some of the welfare checks, which has drawn internal criticism, the report noted. An FBI spokesperson said the agency "will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to secure [children's] safety and well-being."
In parallel, a makeshift "war room" established at HHS headquarters is being used to coordinate interagency efforts to track unaccompanied minors. ICE has reportedly gained access to sensitive data within ORR's portal, raising concerns over privacy and the agency's traditional child welfare mandate.
Under the Trump administration, sponsors now face heightened vetting procedures, including income requirements, stricter ID checks, and DNA tests. Advocates and former Health and Human Services (HHS) officials argue that these measures are designed to deter undocumented family members from seeking custody, which delays or prevents reunification. Mark Greenberg, a former HHS official, told CNN that:
"The steps that they have taken are ones that are not about child safety but rather about making it more difficult or impossible for undocumented parents and relatives to be able to be united or reunited with a child"
Fear of immigration raids has led to a noticeable drop in school attendance among migrant families. The Associated Press reported in late May that attendance at Denver Public Schools fell by up to 4.7% in schools serving primarily immigrant students, with similar trends recorded in at least 15 school districts across eight states.
In response to increasing enforcement, some migrant families are preparing to leave the U.S. altogether. Brazilian consulates reported a 76% increase in birth registrations for U.S.-born children in April—an early step toward returning to Brazil.
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