Federal officials say thousands of migrant children who were classified as “lost” after crossing the U.S.–Mexico border during President Joe Biden’s tenure have been located, and many were found in abusive or deadly circumstances, according to media reports and government officials.
Officials quoted by Fox News and summarized in a Daily Mail report said that law enforcement and child welfare staff have located 22,638 children since March who had previously been unaccounted for after entering the United States without a parent or guardian. Those findings reportedly include children who were dead and others who were victims of sexual exploitation and forced labor.
John Fabbricatore, a senior adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, told Fox News that officials have uncovered “deplorable” conditions. "We found children who have been raped," he said. "We're talking about debt bondage, where children are being made to work off debt, trafficking debt. We're talking about children that were brought into situations and then treated like sexual slaves."
Officials told Fox News that at least 27 of the located children had been confirmed dead, with causes of death that included homicide, suicide, traffic accidents and drug overdoses. Fabbricatore described cases in which sponsors allegedly involved in drug trafficking placed children in hazardous environments, and he cited at least one child who died of a heroin overdose.
The children at issue are classified by federal agencies as unaccompanied minors — underage migrants who crossed the border without a parent or legal guardian and are placed in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement until a sponsor is identified. The ORR places children with sponsors who are typically family members, relatives or other adults who agree to care for the minors while immigration cases proceed.
Federal records and public reporting have long shown that tracking and oversight of children placed with sponsors presents logistical and legal challenges. Advocates and lawmakers have raised concerns in recent years about vetting and post-placement monitoring, and officials say some children lose contact with authorities after placement, complicating welfare checks and case management.
The reports raise questions about how many children who entered the country during the Biden administration remain unaccounted for. The Daily Mail cited an estimate that roughly 233,000 children crossed the U.S.–Mexico border during Biden’s time in office and were subsequently classified as lost; the number has circulated in media accounts but has not been confirmed in a single comprehensive federal disclosure.
HHS and other federal officials are responsible for locating and checking on children placed with sponsors, but the scale of border crossings and the decentralized nature of sponsor placements have made sustained oversight difficult, according to policy experts and prior reporting. Government officials have described efforts to improve tracking systems and to work with law enforcement when children cannot be located.
The findings, as presented to media outlets, are likely to intensify political debate over border management, child welfare protections and the federal government’s ability to ensure the safety of vulnerable migrants. Republicans and Democrats have offered differing proposals in recent years for strengthening sponsor vetting, increasing resources for child welfare oversight and changing immigration rules, but lawmakers have not reached a comprehensive bipartisan solution.
The Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Refugee Resettlement did not immediately provide a detailed, publicly available accounting of the reported cases. The officials who provided descriptions to Fox News spoke about the matter in televised interviews and did not provide a consolidated federal report for public review.
Lawmakers and child welfare advocates said they would review the reports and pursue information from HHS and other agencies about how many children remain missing, the circumstances surrounding confirmed deaths and alleged abuse, and what reforms are being pursued to prevent future cases. Federal officials have said they continue to work with law enforcement and social services partners to locate children and investigate allegations of trafficking and abuse.