Trump Administration Orders ICE to Locate Unaccompanied Migrant Children Across the US

President Donald Trump's administration is directing immigration agents to track down unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S., a source familiar with the plans told ABC News. An internal document from Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE), headlined the "Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation," said the initiative claims to prevent children from being human trafficked or other types of exploitation. There are more than 600,000 migrant children who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a legal guardian or parent since 2019, according to government data.

The Trump administration is ramping up its immigration enforcement, focusing on unaccompanied migrant children according to a leaked memo. The document reveals plans to locate and process deportation for these children, who have entered the U.S. without a parent or guardian, raising significant ethical and political concerns. More than 600,000 children have crossed the border since 2019, with deportation orders issued for thousands. The memo's unveiling highlights an ongoing debate about the treatment and rights of migrant children amid the complex backdrop of U.S. immigration policy under the Trump era.

Immigration enforcement officers have been directed to track down and deport migrant children who arrived in the United States without their parents. It comes amid heightened pressures to reach President Trump's lofty deportation targets as part of his election commitment to solve America's immigration crisis. According to an internal memo seen by Reuters, agents at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will now direct their focus to unaccompanied minors. More than 600,000 immigrant children have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without a parent or legal guardian since 2019, according to government data. The memo is headlined the 'Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation.' Authorities, as part of the instructions, are to ensure children are not victims of human trafficking or being exploited before deporting them.