U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is facing renewed scrutiny over the handling of migrant children during his time leading the department, following whistleblower claims that more than 130,000 children went missing from the system.
Chris Clem, a former senior adviser to HHS, stated that the number of children the department lost track of could be as high as 130,000. This figure is higher than previous estimates of 85,000.
The issue of missing migrant children reportedly dates back to 2012, with the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program under the Obama administration. This policy allowed hundreds of thousands of children of undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. Subsequently, in 2014, a significant influx of unaccompanied minors began arriving at the U.S. southern border. Some children were sent by their families, others to join relatives already in the United States, and some were trafficked by cartels.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), managed by HHS, contracted with nonprofit organizations to shelter these children. Reports of abuse within these shelters led to the implementation of safeguards, including hotlines for minors to report issues and requiring verified relatives or guardians for a child's release.
The shelters came under renewed attention in 2018 amid discussions of amnesty for undocumented immigrant children. This period saw another surge of migrants at the border, leading to the cessation of a policy that separated adults from children, a practice previously established to combat trafficking.
Later, under the Biden administration, a significant increase in migrant arrivals overwhelmed the ORR. Children were processed through the shelter system more rapidly to accommodate new arrivals, which reportedly led to a relaxation of protective measures. This resulted in tens of thousands of children moving through the system and subsequently being lost. While some children were with families who were unreachable by phone, others were allegedly trafficked or forced into child labor.
Becerra, who is currently running for Governor of California, has previously dismissed claims about lost migrant children as "Trump lies." However, reports from outlets such as The New York Times have documented the existence of the problem. The notes suggest the issue predates Becerra's tenure as HHS Secretary, but argue that the problem was exacerbated during his leadership. Becerra has been called upon to provide an explanation for what happened to these vulnerable children.