Noem says DHS has located 127,000 migrant children
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a Fox News interview that the Trump administration has located more than 127,000 migrant children who were among hundreds of thousands released to sponsors during the Biden years, framing the effort as part of a broader campaign to recover minors at risk of trafficking and abuse. Citing a recent DHS inspector general report, the article notes that roughly 448,000 unaccompanied children entered and were released to sponsors between 2019 and 2023, more than 32,000 failed to appear for immigration court hearings, and ICE lacked reliable data to track many children after release, as Trump has tasked border czar Tom Homan to lead the recovery effort.
đ Key Facts
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated the administration has found 'over 127,000' migrant children who were previously unaccounted for after entering under Biden-era policies.
- Noem referenced 'almost half a million' unaccompanied minors, a figure tied to an inspector general estimate that more than 448,000 migrant children were released to sponsors between 2019 and 2023.
- A DHS inspector general report found ICE lacked reliable data to monitor many released children and that more than 32,000 unaccompanied minors failed to appear for immigration court hearings during that period.
- President Trump has directed former ICE chief Tom Homan, now border czar, to lead efforts to locate and secure these children, many of whom were placed with unvetted or non-family sponsors.