The Trump administration has announced that it has located 146,000 unaccompanied migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration. This information was shared by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin during a press conference. They noted an increase from the 22,000 children found last summer.
Mullin stated, "We found 146,000 kids so far. 146,000 kids. We still have nearly 300,000 missing." He criticized the Biden administration for what he described as neglect, stating that 450,000 children went missing in total. Under the Biden administration, over 10 million individuals were apprehended at the border, including more than half a million unaccompanied children.
A 2023 report indicated that 88,000 children were lost under Biden's leadership. An audit by the HHS Office of Inspector General revealed that 22% of children placed with sponsors did not receive timely follow-up calls, and 16% of case files lacked proof of safety checks for sponsors.
The Trump administration is currently searching for 300,000 unaccompanied children who were released to unvetted sponsors. Angie Salazar, acting director for HHS ORR, mentioned that 81,000 addresses used by sponsors were repeated.
Blanche stated that the administration is investigating reports of abuse among these children. He and Mullin announced indictments against three Guatemalan adults accused of trafficking children into the U.S. during the Biden administration. They emphasized that some sponsors misrepresented their relationships with the children.
Officials did not clarify how the 146,000 children located have been handled, including whether they were rescued or living with family members. Salazar noted that child victims of trafficking may apply for specific visas designed for victims of human smuggling.
Since early 2025, the Trump administration has implemented stricter requirements for sponsors, including identity verification and background checks. The number of children crossing the southern border has reportedly decreased from over 14,000 per month to fewer than 1,000 since January 2025.