With over 320,000 unaccompanied migrant children unaccounted for and rising concerns of trafficking and exploitation, the Biden administration faces fierce criticism for a system in disarray. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s defense? “We do the best we can.”
The Biden administration faces mounting criticism after revelations that tens of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children (UACs) have been lost track of following their release to adult sponsors in the United States. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, overseeing the program, defended his tenure during a congressional hearing, saying, “We do the best we can.”
A recent report by the HHS Inspector General (IG) found that thousands of UACs have disappeared from government oversight, heightening concerns over trafficking, exploitation, and forced labor. During the hearing before the House Immigration Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), Becerra testified he would not change any decisions or policies from his tenure, despite evidence of significant failures.
Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) directly questioned Becerra, asking if he would alter his approach, given that 320,000 children remain unaccounted for:
“Would you change anything that you’ve done in the last four years, with 320,000 children unaccounted for by your administration?”
Becerra responded:
“Every day is a challenge, and we do the best we can.”
Since Fiscal Year 2021, HHS has released 365,705 UACs into the U.S. interior under Becerra’s leadership. By comparison, the Trump administration released about 83,100 UACs** in its final two fiscal years. ICE officials and the IG report highlighted that over 32,000 children failed to appear for immigration court dates**, with hundreds of thousands more not issued Notices to Appear (NTAs), leaving their legal status in limbo and reducing oversight of their well-being.
The IG’s report issued a grim warning:
“UACs who do not appear for court are considered at higher risk for trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor … Without an ability to monitor the location and status of UACs, ICE has no assurance UACs are safe from trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor.”
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) pressed Becerra on whether HHS could guarantee the safety of the children under its care.
“Can you account for the whereabouts of those 400,000-something children — the 320,000 that were put in the report by the Inspector General and the 85,000 that we talked about before in 2023? Do you know where all of these children are and that they are safe?”
Becerra admitted the agency loses custody of children once they are placed with sponsors, stating:
“We lose custody of those kids once we find a vetted sponsor with whom they can stay.”
The crisis is further compounded by reports of rising child labor and trafficking. An HHS whistleblower last year described the agency’s handling of UACs as a “multi-billion-dollar child trafficking operation,” alleging that children were being released to unvetted sponsors who exploit them for income. The Labor Department reported an 88 percent increase in child labor trafficking from Fiscal Year 2019 to 2023, with nearly 6,000 children discovered working in unsafe and illegal conditions in the last year alone.
In 22 percent of cases, HHS failed to conduct proper follow-up calls to check on UACs, as required by federal guidelines. Meanwhile, the IG report highlighted that lax oversight creates opportunities for exploitation.
### Mounting Consequences
The fallout from this colossal government failure has sparked bipartisan outrage and raised questions about accountability at the highest levels of the administration. Critics argue that Becerra’s defense of the program’s shortcomings, coupled with the alarming statistics, underscores systemic negligence.
“This isn’t just a bureaucratic failure,” said Rep. McClintock. “This is a humanitarian disaster unfolding on our watch, and the lack of accountability is inexcusable.”
The fate of the missing children remains unknown, while concerns over their safety, coupled with the administration’s lack of reform, continue to fuel public and political backlash.
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