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2.0

Reported: ICE releases the "Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation" Memo

  1. Original Date Announced

    February 21, 2025

    Multiple news sources report that ICE released a new memo titled "Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation." The memo directs immigration agents to track down hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the U.S. without their parents and investigate cases in which these minors have not appeared in immigration court.

    ICE has reportedly sorted minors into three groups: "flight risk," "public safety," and "border security." Officers have been told to "prioritize 'flight risk' minors, including those who have received orders of deportation for missing court hearings." The memo lays out four phases of implementation but does not provide a start date.

    The memo also critiques the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for how it has processed unaccompanied minors and calls on ORR to implement reforms "to ensure migrant children are not victims of human trafficking or victims of other forms of exploitation." ORR officials have reportedly stated that one reform will use DNA tests to establish familial relationships.

    Trump 2.0 [ID #1559]

    2025.02.23 Reported: Trump officials launch ICE effort to deport unaccompanied migrant children - Reuters 2025.02.23 Reported: Trump administration directing ICE to track down unaccompanied minors: Source - ABC

  2. Effective Date

    February 21, 2025

  3. Subsequent Trump and Court Action(s)

    • February 21, 2025

      2025.02.21 Reported: HHS investigating vetting policies for individuals wishing to sponsor unaccompanied children - New York Post

      The New York Post reports that HHS is investigating ORR's previous vetting policies for individuals wishing to sponsor unaccompanied children. It will suggest and implement reforms.

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    • February 25, 2025

      2025.02.25 Reported: Trump admin planning operation to find and possibly deport unaccompanied migrant children - NBC

      NBC News reported that "sources familiar with the planning" of the Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative said that ICE will "focus on children whose sponsors did not answer the phone on the 30-day check-in" and on children who do not have court dates. The article reports that from fiscal year 2019 to August 2024, more than 291,000 children were not given notices to appear in court.

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    • March 25, 2025

      2025.03.25 DHS OIG - ICE Cannot Effectively Monitor Location and Status of Unaccompanied Children

      DHS' Office of Inspector General published a report finding that ICE cannot effectively monitor the location and status of all unaccompanied children once released or transferred from DHS and HHS custody. The report states that 31,000 children released from HHS custody between 2019 and 2023 had missing or incomplete release addresses in their records; as of January 2025, 233,000 children had not been served with NTAs; and as of October 2024, 43,000 children who had been served NTAs failed to appear at their immigration court hearings. Additionally, the report states ICE received insufficient information about children's "status and safety."

      The report contains four recommendations aimed at improving ICE’s ability to monitor unaccompanied children: (1) review and revise information-sharing agreements between ICE and HHS; (2) develop and implement a process to review ICE system data and identify inaccurate or incomplete data; (3) develop and implement a plan to address the backlog of unserved Notices to Appear for unaccompanied children; and (4) update existing guidance to clarify how ICE ERO officers should elevate concerns regarding the safety or circumstances of unaccompanied children.

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    • April 12, 2025

      2025.04.12 Reported: Immigration agents turned away after trying to enter LA elementary schools - Independent

      The Independent reports that DHS officers attempted welfare checks on five immigrant children at two elementary schools in Los Angeles, California. DHS stated that agents “were at these schools conducting wellness checks on children who arrived unaccompanied at the border. This had nothing to do with immigration enforcement.” Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the officers falsely claimed they had parental authorization to contact the children; school officials at the schools told ICE they would need a court order or a warrant.

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Current Status

None

Original Trump Policy Status

Status: Reported
Trump Administration Action: Agency Directive
Subject Matter: Minors Enforcement
Agencies Affected: ORR ICE HHS

Documents

Trump-Era Policy Documents

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