Fox News reports that according to a report prepared by the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) and released on August 19, 2024, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) has lost track of more than 32,000 unaccompanied migrant children since 2019.
The DHS Office of Inspector General sent a report to Congress yesterday (8/20/2024) titled “Management Alert – ICE Cannot Monitor All Unaccompanied Migrant Children Released from DHS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Custody” warning that 32,000(+) unaccompanied migrant children (“UCs”) were are no longer accounted for by ICE, which transferred more than 448,000 UCs to HHS during fiscal years 2019-2023 and lost track of the children primarily because they failed to appear for scheduled immigration court hearings.
The Fox News article may be read in full HERE.
The complete DHS report (with cover letter) may be read and downloaded by clicking here: DHS-OIG Report 8-19-2024 Unaccompanied Migrant Children.
My brothers and sisters, the DHS report clearly states that the multiple thousands of ‘unaccounted for’ migrant children are at enhanced risk for human trafficking, exploitation and forced labor – which is a more pleasant way of describing the risks of slavery, sexual abuse and slave labor practices.
The report’s Summary of Issues reads as follows [bold emphases are mine]:
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not monitor the location and status of all unaccompanied migrant children (UCs) or initiate removal proceedings as needed. During our ongoing audit to assess ICE’s ability to monitor the location and status of UCs who were released or transferred from the custody of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), we learned ICE transferred more than 448,000 UCs to HHS from fiscal years 2019 to 2023. However, ICE was not able to account for the location of all UCs who were released by HHS and did not appear as scheduled in immigration court. ICE reported more than 32,000 UCs failed to appear for their immigration court hearings from FYs 2019 to 2023.
Additionally, even though HHS is responsible for the care and custody of UCs, ICE did not always inform HHS’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) when UCs failed to appear in immigration court after release from HHS’ custody. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers at only one of the eight field offices we visited stated they attempted to locate the UCs. ICE also did not serve a Notice to Appear (NTA) on all UCs, after release from HHS custody, who warranted placement in removal proceedings under 8 U.S. Code Section 1229(a). As of May 2024, ICE had not served NTAs on more than 291,000 UCs who therefore do not yet have an immigration court date.
These issues occurred, in part, because ICE does not have an automated process for sharing information internally between the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) and ERO, and externally with stakeholders, such as HHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ), regarding UCs who do not appear in immigration court. Additionally, ICE ERO has not developed a formal policy or process to follow up on UCs who did not appear in court, has limited oversight for monitoring UCs, and faced resource limitations.
ICE must take immediate action to ensure the safety of UCs residing in the United States. Based on our audit work and according to ICE officials, UCs who do not appear for court are considered at higher risk for trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor. Although we identified more than 32,000 UCs who did not appear for their immigration court dates, that number may have been much larger had ICE issued NTAs to the more than 291,000 UCs who were not placed into removal proceedings. By not issuing NTAs to all UCs, ICE limits its chances of having contact with UCs when they are released from HHS’ custody, which reduces opportunities to verify their safety. Without an ability to monitor the location and status of UCs, ICE has no assurance UCs are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor.”
As followers of Christ, please pray for our country, asking for the wisdom to elect federal and state officials who understand that lax border controls are often anything but compassionate, as evidenced in this situation. Let’s also pray specifically for the unaccompanied children who have been swept into the country, with many at risk of exploitation. Lord have mercy!
The bible makes it very clear that God knew us, even as babies and children, before we were ever formed in our mothers’ wombs, and that God’s plan for our lives was written in heaven before we were ever born:
Psalm 139:13-16 (NKJV)
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; [m]arvelous are Your works, [a]nd that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, [w]hen I was made in secret, [a]nd skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, [t]he days fashioned for me, [w]hen as yet there were none of them.”
Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”.
The bible tells us that children are exceedingly important to God, referring to children as a heritage, gift or reward from God, whose angels look upon the face of the Father in heaven:
Psalm 127:3 (NKJV)
“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, [t]he fruit of the womb is a reward.”
Matthew 18:10 (Amplified Bible)
[Jesus tells the disciples] “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones [children], for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven.”
The bible tells us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the children, and we all have the privilege of becoming ‘children of God’ when we are born again:
Matthew 19:13-14 (Amplified Bible)
Jesus Blesses Little Children
“Then children were brought to Jesus so that He might place His hands on them [for a blessing] and pray; but the disciples reprimanded them. But He said, ‘[l]eave the children alone, and do not forbid them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
John 1:12-13 (NKJV)
“But as many as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
In fact, the bible makes it clear that in order to enter the kingdom of heaven, we are to humble ourselves and to become as children in our faith:
Matthew 18:1-4 (ESV)
Who Is the Greatest?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘[w]ho is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to [H]im a child, [Jesus] put [the child] in the midst of them and said, ‘[t]ruly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”
In 2018, Zach Williams performed a worship concert at Harding Prison in Nashville, Tennessee. Here is a powerful YouTube video of No Longer Slaves (I Am A Child Of God) from this event:
