The Trump administration’s focus on immigration enforcement has intensified with a recent directive ordering the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to track down and deport unaccompanied minors. A February exclusive by Reuters exposed this stealth policy change. It has raised alarms from child welfare advocates over the possibility that these children’s safety and mental well-being would be severely compromised.
Just last month, ICE got a community from Washington state to save a 16-year-old girl, when the agency alarmingly chased down that same girl with a “welfare check.” Through the stay, the girl had come directly to Samuel Smith—a director of immigrant legal aid at the Manzanita House. She shared her pain and bewilderment over the meeting with lawmakers. Smith shared that the girl spoke both through text and voice calls, showing her distress about her predicament.
“Both the text messages sent and the tone of communication when talking on the phone, was of a child who was incredibly scared,” – Samuel Smith
Smith noted that the young lady did not fully understand the magnitude of what was occurring. She was afraid that it would completely change her life. Advocates, like Michelle Méndez, are sounding the alarm on ICE’s predatory actions. Méndez is the director of legal resources and training at the National Immigration Project. Méndez noted that the visits are officially meant to protect children. Underneath, he fears, the reasons for them are a bit darker.
“It shows they have other goals, and the goals are criminalization of the kid or criminalization of the sponsor. It’s backdoor family separation.” – Michelle Méndez
The Trump administration’s directive has mandated ICE to specifically target children who are believed to have ties to gangs or terrorist activities. Judge, attorney, and children’s rights advocate criticism This move has drawn criticism from many prominent legal experts and child welfare advocates. They maintain that it creates a culture of fear for both minors and their sponsors.
To Becky Wolozin, senior attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, this isn’t just a problematic oversight. She pointed out that while these welfare checks position themselves as protective forces, they end up being violative and intimidating to immigrant families.
“I can appreciate the publicly stated goal, but I don’t necessarily believe it,” – Samuel Smith
Wolozin emphasized the disconnect between the supposed intentions behind these welfare checks and the reality they foster. “It’s difficult to reconcile the alleged well-meaning intention of these visits with the reality of the terror and trauma they have caused for children and families across the country.”
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has started to share sensitive, private information with ICE about unaccompanied children and their sponsors. You have access to data that goes all the way down to the legal sponsor statuses. It includes information regarding whether these children are likely to be a flight risk or public safety danger. These measures have placed an added and unwelcome focus on immigrant families. This is particularly the case as funding for legal services focused on unaccompanied minors has dramatically declined since Trump’s reinstatement.
ORR’s new data-sharing agreement faces criticism from the public for starting to share data with ICE in Trump’s first term. First, they claim that this framework disproportionately and unfairly impacts vulnerable populations. According to reports, this data-sharing program is intended to help locate young people who could be swept under by human traffickers. This enforcement action will only make their situation worse.
“There are instances of trafficking in the United States,” – Samuel Smith
He emphasized that even those types of cases are the exception that proves the rule. Most unaccompanied children end up in trusted settings where their unique needs can be better served.
At the time of this writing, the Trump administration has invoked the AEA. That decision has paved the way for dozens of deportations and expulsions under the new directive. Advocates contend these types of policies put an undue burden on vulnerable children who are already at increased risk and compound their trauma.
Tricia McLaughlin, another advocate in this area, remarked on how previous administrations allowed many unaccompanied children to be placed with sponsors who were actually involved in smuggling or trafficking. She argued that unlike previous administrations, Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem are committed to protecting children.
“Unlike the previous administration, President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem take the responsibility to protect children seriously,” – Tricia McLaughlin
Environmental justice advocates are up in arms over this narrative. They contend that the real threat to these children is Trump’s policy, not giving them the safety they seek. Consequently, immigrant families are experiencing new fear from ICE’s expanded and more robust local enforcement.
Shaina Aber, another activist for immigrant rights, said that this practice contributes to the culture of fear instilled by these policies. She pointed out that many families are traumatized not just by the fear of deportation but by being forced to live like they’re constantly under surveillance.
“I worry about the trauma the kids are going through. There is a climate of fear for immigrants in this country right now,” – Shaina Aber
Advocates are still working hard to advance reforms that focus on keeping kids safe and healthy instead of punishing them. They call for more transparency about ICE’s involvement in the care of unaccompanied minors and they call for more access to legal resources.