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The Department of Homeland Security is promoting an initiative to rescue children who might be at risk of exploitation due to being placed with an “unvetted” sponsor when they entered the country illegally.
Recently, the Trump administration highlighted the issue of 300,000 children who were “lost or placed with unvetted sponsors” during the Biden administration after arriving unaccompanied. This raised concerns that they could have been handed over to traffickers, with 13,000 children already located.
“It just shows how unacceptable the previous administration’s approach to immigration was,” former acting ICE Director Jonathan Fahey stated in an interview.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference where she announced that most airline passengers will no longer have to remove their shoes at security checkpoints on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at Reagan National Airport in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
In a recent news release, DHS mentioned that over 59,000 out of the 65,000 “backlogged reports” on these children have been addressed, including numerous “leads” on criminal activities. Fahey explained the typical process of ensuring that migrant children are placed with suitable sponsors.
The Trump-backed government spending bill, which allocates funds for additional immigration authorities and tools, could aid in uncovering more exploitative activities, Fahey suggested.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents review lists of names and their hearing schedules inside the Federal Plaza courthouse before conducting arrests on June 27, 2025 in New York. (BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
Fahey expressed optimism about more enforcement actions with the new bill in place, citing increased resources for investigations into various crimes.
The bill includes funding for an additional 10,000 ICE agents, with the administration launching a recruitment campaign offering $50,000 signing bonuses and other incentives to attract new personnel.
“ICE, despite being dedicated and mission-driven, requires more resources to effectively track down offenders and victims. I anticipate a significant increase in these efforts,” Fahey remarked.
National Guard soldiers block protestors during an ICE immigration raid at a nearby cannabis farm on July 10, 2025 near Camarillo, California. (Getty Images/Mario Tama)
With stricter border controls, fewer new arrivals are slipping through, enabling more effective interior enforcement efforts, Fahey noted.
Many enforcement actions, often based on prior intelligence and criminal warrants, have been conducted by DHS, including worksite checks and welfare inspections by Homeland Security Investigations.
