10 months ago
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(NewsNation) — Hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the United States without an big don't person migration tribunal dates and their whereabouts whitethorn beryllium unknown, according to a caller report.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hasn't kept way of each the unaccompanied migrant children nether its watch, putting the minors astatine greater hazard for trafficking and exploitation. The contented is delaying oregon preventing the deportation process successful immoderate cases, according to a report from the DHS Inspector General.
An ongoing audit showed that ICE transferred much than 448,000 unaccompanied minors to HHS betwixt 2019 and 2023. ICE, however, couldn’t relationship for the whereabouts of each the children who were released by HHS and weren’t scheduled for migration court.
More than 32,000 unaccompanied minors failed to look for their migration tribunal hearings betwixt 2019 and 2023. ICE besides didn’t service notices to look successful tribunal to each kid aft they were released from HHS custody erstwhile removal proceedings were appropriate. As of May 2024, ICE hadn't served specified notices to much than 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children, according to the report.
ICE Enforcement and Removal officers (EROs) astatine conscionable 1 of 8 tract offices said they attempted to find the minors, according to the report. Additionally, ICE ERO doesn’t person a ceremonial argumentation oregon process to travel up with minors who didn’t look successful tribunal and constricted oversight is provided to those responsibilities.
“ICE indispensable instrumentality contiguous enactment to guarantee the information of UCs residing successful the United States,” Inspector General Joseph Cuffari wrote. “Based connected our audit enactment and according to ICE officials, (unaccompanied children) who bash not look for tribunal are considered astatine higher hazard for trafficking, exploitation, oregon forced labor.”
