The Biden administration has come under fire for allegedly ignoring a staggering number of reports about unaccompanied migrant children. Senator Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, revealed that over 65,000 reports concerning these vulnerable children were either ignored or dismissed by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Among these reports, nearly 7,000 involved suspected human trafficking, while almost 2,000 were related to cases of fraud.
Grassley’s investigation highlights a significant backlog of cases that the Biden administration has not addressed. Since President Donald Trump took office, HHS has reportedly resolved a quarter of these cases and made several arrests, according to Grassley. He criticized the Biden administration for allegedly placing these children with dangerous sponsors and obstructing law enforcement efforts aimed at protecting them.
In a statement, Grassley expressed his concerns, saying, “My oversight exposed the Biden-Harris administration for placing unaccompanied migrant children with dangerous sponsors.” He praised the Trump administration for taking prompt action to address the issues left by Biden’s team.
HHS acknowledged the backlog and confirmed that it was working to clear it. The department stated that each ignored report was a missed opportunity to protect a child, calling the situation a “systemic failure” of the Biden administration.
During Biden’s presidency, at least 500,000 children entered the U.S. Many were transported to the homes of sponsors after the administration eased background check requirements. Alarmingly, around 85,000 of these unaccompanied minors have reportedly gone missing after being placed with sponsors.
Grassley has been vocal about his efforts to uncover the extent of child trafficking and exploitation linked to the unaccompanied children program. He criticized HHS for not cooperating with his inquiries and for failing to provide requested information. In a recent letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Grassley expressed his frustration over the lack of transparency and accountability.
This situation raises serious questions about the safety and well-being of unaccompanied migrant children in the United States. As the investigation continues, many are calling for more robust measures to protect these vulnerable individuals from exploitation and harm.