ICE Detains Over 12,000 People Using Data from Unaccompanied Migrant Minors

ICE arrested over 12,000 people after receiving information linked to unaccompanied migrant minors. The practice has raised alarms among human rights advocates and families seeking reunification.

A Reuters investigation shows that the Office of Refugee Resettlement, known as ORR, shared over 460,000 reports with ICE since January 2025. This data flow includes minors, sponsors, and household members.

The case opens a sensitive discussion for Latino families in the United States. Information that once served to protect migrant children can now end up in the hands of the agency responsible for arrests and deportations.

How Does the System for Unaccompanied Minors Work Today?

Under current law, a minor who crosses the border alone is detained by CBP and then transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services within a maximum of 72 hours. The ORR is responsible for their temporary care.

That system was created to ensure shelter, assessment, and safe reunification. The ORR investigates whether there are suitable relatives or guardians in the country before releasing the minor.

For years, the priority was to place the minor in the least restrictive environment. The 2008 law sought to prevent minors from automatically going into immigration custody based solely on their family’s legal status.

But the Trump administration adopted a different approach. Data reviewed by Reuters shows that the ORR has shared leads about minors, sponsors, and other household members with ICE.

That leaves nearly half a million people who participated in reunifications exposed. In many cases, the sponsors were parents or relatives who simply wanted to remove a minor from a shelter.

What Changed With the Trump Administration?

The major difference is in data use. Previously, information about sponsors was used to reunite families. Now, according to Reuters, it is also used to open immigration investigations. Jen Smyers, former deputy director of the ORR during the Biden administration, said that protective policies were completely reversed. She claimed the child program was “weaponized” to drive deportations.

The ORR responded that it does not participate in detaining minors and referred questions about law enforcement to DHS. The parent agency of ICE argued that it seeks to locate children placed with unverified guardians. DHS added that some guardians had criminal records.

However, the investigation indicates that the current scope of data sharing is much greater than in previous periods. That change is concerning because it undermines trust in the system. Many families provided information thinking they were protecting their children, not opening the door to arrest.

What Cases Show the Human Impact?