On Day One, President Trump must take immediate action to protect migrant children by completely overhauling the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services. The current catastrophe has resulted in thousands upon thousands of children vanishing into the unknown, many into the hands of traffickers. The true number remains unknown as the government has lost track of so many of these vulnerable souls. Those in the current administration who have deliberately weakened or eliminated crucial sponsor vetting procedures must be removed. The safety of vulnerable children cannot be sacrificed for administrative expediency.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with its extensive capabilities and expertise in immigration proceedings, should assume primary responsibility for vetting sponsors and monitoring these children's whereabouts. Just as ICE successfully manages its Alternatives to Detention program through vetted contractors, similar frameworks could be established to track and protect unaccompanied minors. By leveraging ICE's resources and coordinating with other agencies' direct support, we can create a robust system that actually protects these children rather than abandoning them to potential traffickers.
One of the Biden administration's first moves was to systematically dismantle the comprehensive sponsor vetting program established during the Trump administration. This reckless decision prioritized speed over safety, effectively eliminating crucial protections for vulnerable children. The robust vetting procedures that once helped prevent trafficking and exploitation were sacrificed in the name of expediting placements – with devastating consequences.
Almost a decade after my own whistleblowing efforts in 2015 from within the Department of Homeland Security revealed shocking inadequacies in sponsor vetting, the situation remains dire. Despite the improvements achieved in 2016 through collaboration with Senator Grassley's office, the system continues to place children with sponsors who have criminal backgrounds, including violent crimes. The system designed to protect these children has instead become a pipeline that too often delivers them into the hands of exploiters.
The story begins with good intentions. When unaccompanied migrant children arrive at our borders, the law requires that they be placed in the least restrictive setting possible – typically with a sponsor while their immigration cases proceed. This approach, meant to prioritize children's well-being, has been catastrophically undermined by inadequate vetting procedures and virtually non-existent follow-up.
The current administration has made matters worse by rushing placements to manage overcrowding while weakening crucial safeguards. Basic background checks have been abbreviated. Home studies have become rare. Post-release monitoring, critical for ensuring children's safety, has been largely abandoned.
In recent months, I have sent urgent letters to numerous members of Congress and Congressional Committee heads, explaining the need for immediate action to protect these children. I personally briefed Congressional staff members, presenting them with a comprehensive seven-point plan to address this crisis. Instead of focusing on these crucial child protection measures, they seemed more interested in recruiting government insiders as whistleblowers. This dismissive response to concrete solutions that could save children's lives is emblematic of a system more concerned with political maneuvering than protecting the most vulnerable.
The plan I presented was clear and actionable, encompassing:
1. Stricter background checks: Implement a comprehensive, multi-agency approach to vetting potential sponsors.
2. Regular follow-ups: Establish a system of mandatory, regular check-ins after a child is placed with a sponsor.
3. Enhanced inter-agency cooperation: Facilitate seamless collaboration between DHS, Health and Human Services to track and protect these children.
4. Improved data collection and transparency: Mandate the collection and public reporting of accurate, up-to-date information on unaccompanied minors, their placements, and outcomes.
5. Zero-tolerance policy: Implement severe penalties for sponsors found to have violent or exploitative histories who slip through the vetting process.
6. Accountability measures: Establish a robust system of accountability, ensuring that policies are followed at all levels and that there are real consequences for those who fail to protect these children.
7. Cross-border initiatives: Establish strong liaisons with governments and NGOs in countries of origin to address the root causes of child migration.
Critics may argue these measures would slow placement and increase costs. They're right – but what's the alternative? Continuing to feed children into a system that loses track of them by the thousands? Maintaining practices that enable trafficking and exploitation?
This isn't about immigration policy or partisan politics. It's about preventing child abuse and trafficking. Whether you believe in stricter or more lenient immigration policies, we can agree that children already in government custody deserve protection.
The impact of human trafficking, especially on children, is devastating. These young victims face physical and psychological abuse, forced labor, and sexual exploitation, leaving scars that may never fully heal. Migrant children are particularly vulnerable, often separated from their families, facing language barriers, and lacking support in a foreign land.
As we confront this ongoing crisis, our resolve must be stronger than ever. We must work together to create a world where no child is subjected to the horrors of trafficking or falls through the cracks of a failing system. This is more than a call for action; it's a demand for justice and a plea to our collective conscience to treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
Every day we delay, more children vanish into the shadows. Their fate will be our legacy. The time for action is now. Our government's first duty is to protect the vulnerable. When it comes to migrant children, we're not just failing – we're actively enabling their exploitation. This must change, and it must change now.