Summary
In 2025, U.S. agencies located over 129,143 unaccompanied migrant children. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are leading efforts to account for all these children, who were previously untracked. Ongoing initiatives aim to ensure children's safety and reunification with families.
Key Facts
- DHS and HHS found over 129,143 unaccompanied migrant children in 2025.
- These efforts are part of the Trump administration's actions to locate children lost during the previous administration.
- Many of the children were exploited or trafficked before being found.
- Information for locating these children came from updated court data.
- The DHS audit found issues in tracking children transferred to HHS from 2019 to 2023.
- A new program partners with state and local law enforcement for welfare checks on unaccompanied children.
- A leaked memo indicated collaboration between ICE and ORR without typical legal protections for children.
