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Trump Administration Seizes Over 500 Migrant Children after Federal Welfare Checks

A Washington ‘war room’ is granting ICE unprecedented access to migrant children’s asylum and medical records

In preparation for increased immigration enforcement, a school in Washington, DC hosted a "know your rights" presentation on January 10. Attendees learned about their rights in regard to Immigration Customs and Enforcement raids and investigations that might effect themselves, their families and their communities.
A deportation officer with Enforcement and Removal Operations in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's New York City field office conducts a brief before an early morning operation, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies in Washington, DC, on May 6.
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Overview

  • ICE and the FBI have conducted hundreds of unannounced welfare checks that resulted in more than 500 migrant children being placed in ORR custody.
  • New sponsor vetting rules requiring DNA tests, income proofs, and strict ID verification are making family reunification nearly impossible for many relatives.
  • The average duration of children’s stays in ORR custody has jumped from 67 days in December 2024 to 170 days in April 2025.
  • The centralized Washington ‘war room’ now shares sensitive data—including asylum claims and medical histories—with ICE and other enforcement agencies.
  • A lawsuit filed in federal court argues that these policies are causing unnecessary family separations and undermining due process rights.