Agents from the federal law enforcement are conducting interviews with unaccompanied minor migrant children at shelter facilities.
Federal law enforcement agencies have started conducting interviews with unaccompanied migrant children in government custody, including inside shelter facilities. This marks a significant shift from previous protocols, where law enforcement involvement in such shelters was limited [1][2][5].
The purpose of these interviews, as stated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and related agencies, is multifold. They aim to locate children deemed missing, issue immigration-related notices, and investigate potential human trafficking or exploitation cases involving migrant children. This initiative was driven by the recognition of a backlog of over 65,000 unaddressed cases regarding unaccompanied migrant children from previous administrations [1].
However, this policy change has sparked concerns about its impact on child welfare. Advocates and organisations such as the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights argue that the presence of law enforcement interrogating children without parental or trusted adult accompaniment can undermine the children's sense of safety, potentially retraumatise them, and may impair their ability to speak freely. They contend that this approach turns shelters—meant to be safe spaces—into sites of fear, risking coercion and harming children’s emotional well-being [2].
The scope of this policy applies broadly to unaccompanied children currently in federal custody, primarily those in shelters run or funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is responsible for their care. ORR’s existing protocols focus on identifying safe sponsors, performing background checks, and ensuring children’s timely and safe release, emphasising their physical and mental health. The new law enforcement interviews occur alongside these protective activities but represent a separate enforcement function aimed at immigration and criminal investigations rather than child welfare per se [4].
The ongoing practice highlights a tension between immigration enforcement objectives and child welfare protections in handling a highly vulnerable population. In response, HHS has established a triage center and modernised outdated software systems to triage and action all reports. The initiative to track down migrant children is part of an effort to ensure they are not victims of human trafficking or exploitation.
As of July 24, 2025, more than 59,000 of the backlogged reports regarding unaccompanied children who came across the border have been analysed and processed, resulting in over 4,000 investigative leads. These investigative leads include cases of fraud, human trafficking, and other criminal activity.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent a notice to shelter providers about the interviews. The notice instructs shelters to cooperate with requests for access to unaccompanied alien children. However, the notice has sparked concern among some immigrant advocates, with Michael Lukens, the executive director for the Amica Center, characterising the HHS plan as cruel and international targeting of immigrant children. Lukens, like many others, believes that the American immigration system, despite its flaws, has traditionally aimed to protect children.
This news underscores the ongoing debate about striking a balance between immigration enforcement and child welfare in the handling of unaccompanied migrant children. The situation remains a topic of discussion and concern among advocates, government agencies, and the public alike.
- The interviews conducted with unaccompanied migrant children in government custody have a multifaceted purpose, including locating missing children, issuing immigration-related notices, and investigating potential human trafficking or exploitation cases, as stated by the DHS and related agencies.
- Advocacy groups such as the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights have expressed concerns about the impact of these interviews on child welfare, arguing that the presence of law enforcement interrogating children can undermine their sense of safety, potentially retraumatise them, and impair their ability to speak freely.
- The interviews occur alongside ORR’s existing protective activities aimed at child welfare but represent a separate enforcement function focused on immigration and criminal investigations.
- The ongoing practice of conducting interviews with unaccompanied migrant children has sparked international debate about striking a balance between immigration enforcement and child welfare, with some immigrant advocates, like Michael Lukens from the Amica Center, characterizing the HHS plan as cruel.
- As of July 24, 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services has analyzed and processed over 59,000 of the backlogged reports regarding unaccompanied children who came across the border, resulting in over 4,000 investigative leads, including cases of fraud, human trafficking, and other criminal activity.
