DHS Reports 250,000 Unaccompanied Children Lost Under Biden Admin

More than 230,000 unaccompanied minors were released from immigration custody into the U.S. during the Biden administration and subsequently lost, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari testified in front of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. He said 31,000 children were sent to invalid home addresses in the U.S. and that sponsors were not properly vetted before the unaccompanied children were released to them.

The Oversight panel was called to review the findings of a March 2025 report by DHS that found that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is unable to track the status of all unaccompanied minors currently in the U.S. The report’s findings “reveal significant gaps” in ICE’s management of these children, Cuffari testified.

“This is not simply an administrative problem,” Cuffari said. “It’s a systemic breakdown that poses grave risks to unaccompanied alien children (UACs) and the integrity of our legal immigration system.”

DHS’s report found that more than 43,000 of these children failed to appear for court hearings and can no longer be tracked by ICE. The report said these children are “considered at higher risk for trafficking, exploitation or forced labor.”

“The findings are a double-edged sword,” Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., said during the hearing. “While some vulnerable children have likely been trafficked, exploited and subject to forced labor, the report also found other older teens that were convicted criminals and gang members.”