The Biden administration’s failure to secure the southern border has resulted in more than 31,000 unaccompanied minors going missing after being released into the United States, according to a new report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general. The report details how incomplete records and broken agency coordination left children unmonitored and at risk.
From 2019 through 2023, more than 448,000 unaccompanied minors were transferred from DHS to Health and Human Services. Once in HHS custody, most were released to sponsors, but many release addresses were incomplete or incorrect. In thousands of cases, ICE was not notified of the children’s destination at all.
Inspector General Joseph Cuffari’s report said ICE was unable to effectively track these minors, leaving officials in the dark about whether they had become victims of trafficking, forced labor or other crimes. Many had not been served notices to appear in court, and those who were often failed to show up.
The breakdown in communication between federal agencies allowed children to disappear into the country without proper oversight. ICE officials were left to rely on tips from outside sources to locate children after they had already gone missing.
Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) blasted the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis, calling it a disgrace. “Not having answers is unacceptable,” Gonzales said, pointing to the suffering experienced by the missing children.
As of January 2025, more than 233,000 unaccompanied minors had not been issued immigration court dates. ICE’s limited resources and lack of timely information from other agencies contributed to the failure to track the children.
Cuffari’s office also reported in a separate review that federal agencies released migrants without identification and allowed them to travel on domestic flights, further exposing gaps in the system.
