Biden Administration Approved 99% of Migrant Child Sponsor Applications, Report Finds

The Biden administration approved over 99% of sponsor applications for unaccompanied migrant children in fiscal year 2024, according to a memo obtained by The Post. This high approval rate occurred amid concerns that the vetting process left children vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

Between 2021 and 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services processed nearly half a million migrant children. However, in the final year of that period, virtually no applications from households seeking to sponsor these children were denied.

A 2024 report from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General indicated that the department had lost contact with 291,000 migrant children presumed to be in the custody of domestic sponsors. An additional 32,000 were reported missing after failing to appear for immigration court hearings.

The memo highlighted instances of fraudulent sponsorship. In one case in fall 2023, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly released to an unrelated sponsor who subsequently raped and impregnated her. The memo stated that prior to sponsoring this child, the individual had sponsored three other unaccompanied migrant children.

Another incident in October 2024 involved a 17-year-old migrant male released to his alleged stepsister. He was later found deceased in a car with an unconscious 30-year-old male. In August 2024, a teenage male migrant, released to a sponsor with gang tattoos, died after being given marijuana by unrelated adult men.

The vetting process was described as having "less stringent policies" between 2022 and 2024, allowing potential sponsors to exploit gaps in the system. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) memo noted that tracking of fraud trends showed an average rate of intentional document or information fraud of approximately 77% of reported Child Level Events (CLEs).

Between October 1, 2023, and October 31, 2024, roughly 85% of sponsorship applicants were found to have engaged in "intentional document fraud" during a review of nearly 1,700 CLEs by HHS' Office of General Counsel. This fraud included the use of false IDs, manipulated photos, unverifiable addresses, fingerprint fraud, or misrepresentations about household members or the age of the children.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that the Biden administration "failed in its most basic responsibility: protecting vulnerable children in federal care." He added, "It weakened safeguards and prioritized speed over scrutiny, leaving children exposed to fraud, exploitation, and abuse." Under the Trump administration, HHS is reportedly restoring rigorous oversight and prioritizing child safety.

Further concerns were raised in a February 2025 incident involving a nine-year-old migrant girl who was nearly placed in the same room as her abusive 13-year-old brother. Despite warning signs observed during a home visit, including the presence of unknown individuals and evidence of drug use and unsanitary conditions, ORR approved the child's release to the mother's household. The current status of this child remains unknown.