President Donald Trump’s administration does not know where an additional 1,500 immigrant children — who entered the U.S. illegally and were assigned sponsors — are located, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
According to a new congressional report, HHS officials were unable to locate 1,488 of the 11,254 children who were moved from federal custody or shelters to the home of a sponsor in this past year. That number was based on follow-up calls the department made to sponsors, according to the Times.
An HHS official pushed back against the congressional report and told the Times that that the kids were not “lost,” but that the sponsors likely just didn’t answer when the call was made.
In April, the Department of Health and Human Services determined it was unaware of the whereabouts of an additional 1,475 children.
Senators have introduced bipartisan legislation that would expand HHS’ and individual states’ responsibility for keeping track of migrant children after they’re released from shelters.
HHS doesn’t know where these children are. But more importantly, it couldn’t possibly care less. Despicable.
If we don’t know where they are, we do not know what condition they are in - and they are exceptionally vulnerable.
Behind each of the interlocking policies that led to this situation, imo, is the handiwork - hard pushing with no concern for how implemented, policy implications, or anything except the hard rhetoric of Steve Miller.
Any tragedy that befalls on any of these children (and their estranged families) should be metaphorically etched on his soul.
Try checking Trump Hotels for a sudden influx of underage housekeepers…
If this is what Make America Great Again looks like, count me out!!
So my take away is that HHS called once and when there was no answer then that’s it the kid is missing. Sorta like when members only hold unannounced telephone town hall calls. If you’re not home and don’t answer then your opportunity, as limited as it is, to question your member of Congress is gone.
And frankly the sponsor of the kid is probably undocumented family member and ICE may have already picked them up so…I hope that there is some sort underground railroad that is helping these kids.