Thousands of children, sponsors arrested by ICE after tips from US child migrant agency
Internal data show more than 460,000 leads were shared with ICE since January 2025, helping drive over 12,000 arrests.
- Since January 2025, the Office of Refugee Resettlement has shared more than 460,000 leads with Immigration and Customs Enforcement , triggering more than 12,000 arrests of migrant sponsors and household members, according to internal government data reviewed by Reuters.
- A 2008 law previously ensured migrant children were placed in the least restrictive settings to facilitate reunification without fear of ICE targeting. Safeguards against data sharing have been "completely reversed," said Jen Smyers, former ORR deputy director.
- Under President Donald Trump, vetting requirements for sponsors now include fingerprinting all household members. Average custody time for unaccompanied children surged from 30 days in fiscal year 2024 to 194 days in June 2026, according to ORR figures.
- Families face routine detentions with collateral consequences for sponsors and relatives. "We've seen so many sponsors arrested and collateral arrests with them," said Alexa Sendukas, managing attorney with the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project .
- The Department of Homeland Security stated that during Trump's term, ORR provided investigative leads to locate children placed with "unvetted sponsors." Critics argue this policy "weaponizes a child welfare program for the purposes of more deportations.
14 Articles
14 Articles
An investigation revealed that data provided to reunite migrant minors with their families were linked to more than 12,000 arrests of ICE
Thousands of children and their sponsors arrested by ICE after tips from U.S. child migrant agency
Since January 2025, the Office of Refugee Resettlement has shared more than 460,000 "leads" with ICE about unaccompanied children, their sponsors and additional household members.
Thousands Arrested By ICE After "Leads" From US Child Migrant Agency: Report
6-year-old girl spent more than half a year in a child migrant shelter while her mother, who was in the US, worked to get her out. Days later to their reunion, they were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Thousands of children, sponsors arrested by ICE after tips from US child migrant agency
More than 12,000 people have been arrested by U.S. immigration authorities following tips from the Office of Refugee Resettlement during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Aurora's 6-year-old daughter arrived alone at the border of the United States and spent more than half a year in a shelter to raise the migrants while her m and, that j was in the pa s, worked to get her out. Read more (07/28/2026
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