Obama Administration Allegedly Releasing Unaccompanied Minors into Criminals' Custody

Statement

Federal authorities responsible for vetting potential guardians of children who enter the country without an adult have been placing some with convicted criminals, according to whistleblower claims. The whistleblower, who is familiar with the vetting process, alleges that at least 3,400 sponsors out of a sample of 29,000 listed in a government database have criminal histories that include domestic violence, homicide, child molestation, sexual assault and human trafficking.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) are seeking details on the review practices for potential sponsors of unaccompanied children, as well as corrective procedures once it has determined that a child has been placed with a convicted criminal sponsor. In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services, the Senators are also asking for statistical information regarding criminal convictions of the sponsors of migrant children.

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement is responsible for coordinating the screening of potential sponsors for exploitation, abuse, or other safety concerns. However, the background checks are allegedly often inadequate, leaving children in the custody of potentially dangerous individuals. Earlier this year federal agents arrested human smugglers who reportedly posed as sponsors to force at least six Guatemalan boys to work 12 hours a day on an Ohio egg farm.

The whistleblower brought the claims to the Judiciary Committee's attention after raising concerns with supervisors reportedly yielded no immediate corrective actions.

Grassley began asking questions more than a year ago about the process for vetting the people unaccompanied minors have been released to. These questions continue to take on urgency as unaccompanied children arrive at the southern border in record numbers in recent months.

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