Washington, D.C. – The Trump administration is moving to grant U.S. immigration officers access to a federal database containing sensitive information on hundreds of thousands of immigrant children and teens who entered the United States without their parents, according to an interview with White House border czar Tom Homan published Friday in The Washington Post. The proposal has reignited fears of family separations and prolonged detentions for vulnerable minors, drawing sharp criticism from immigrant advocates and civil-liberties groups.
The database in question is maintained by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The ORR is tasked with caring for unaccompanied minors apprehended at the U.S. border, many of whom flee violence, poverty, or persecution in their home countries. The agency identifies and screens potential sponsors—often close relatives or family friends living in the U.S.—to release the children from government shelters and place them in safe homes.
Historically, the ORR has operated independently of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ensure that undocumented family members or sponsors are not deterred from coming forward due to fears of arrest. However, the Trump administration’s latest proposal would allow ICE to access the ORR database, raising concerns that sponsors may avoid claiming children out of fear of deportation.
A Repeat of Controversial Policies
This is not the first time the Trump administration has attempted to link ORR operations with immigration enforcement. A similar effort during President Donald Trump’s first term in 2017 sparked widespread outrage. At the time, the administration’s decision to share sponsor information with ICE led to the arrests of undocumented adults, many of whom had no criminal histories and were simply trying to reunite with their children or relatives.
The policy also had unintended consequences: many sponsors refused to come forward, leaving thousands of children stranded in government shelters for extended periods. According to a 2018 report by The New York Times, the average length of stay for minors in ORR custody increased significantly after the policy was implemented, with some children remaining in detention for months.
“This proposal is a direct threat to the well-being of immigrant children and their families,” said Clara Long, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It forces families to choose between staying together in the shadows or risking separation through deportation.”
Humanitarian Mission vs. Enforcement Priorities
The ORR’s primary mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of unaccompanied minors, who often arrive at the U.S. border traumatized and in need of care. By operating independently of ICE, the agency has sought to create a safe environment for sponsors to step forward without fear of immigration consequences.
However, the Trump administration has argued that greater coordination between ORR and ICE is necessary to ensure that sponsors are properly vetted and to prevent potential risks to children. “We have a responsibility to protect these children and ensure they are placed in safe environments,” Homan told The Washington Post. “This is about accountability and safeguarding the most vulnerable.”
Critics, however, say the proposal undermines the ORR’s humanitarian mission and could have devastating consequences. “This policy would effectively turn a child welfare program into an extension of immigration enforcement,” said Michelle Brane, director of the Migrant Rights and Justice program at the Women’s Refugee Commission. “It’s a betrayal of the trust that immigrant communities have placed in the ORR.”
Broader Implications for Immigrant Communities
The proposal comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration under the Trump administration, which has sought to restrict both legal and illegal immigration through a series of controversial policies. These include the “zero tolerance” policy that led to the separation of thousands of families at the border in 2018, as well as efforts to limit asylum claims and expand detention facilities.
If implemented, the new policy could further strain an already overwhelmed immigration system. According to HHS data, the ORR currently cares for approximately 5,000 unaccompanied minors in its shelters, with thousands more awaiting placement with sponsors. Advocates warn that the policy could exacerbate backlogs and leave children in detention for even longer periods.
Legal Challenges and Next Steps
The proposal is likely to face legal challenges from immigrant advocacy groups, who argue that it violates the ORR’s mandate to act in the best interests of children. “This is a clear overreach that prioritizes enforcement over child welfare,” said Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project. “We will not stand by while the administration uses children as pawns in its anti-immigrant agenda.”
As the debate unfolds, the fate of thousands of unaccompanied minors hangs in the balance. For immigrant communities, the proposal represents yet another barrier to reuniting with loved ones and rebuilding their lives in the United States.
“This is about more than just a policy change,” said Maria, an undocumented mother in California who asked to remain anonymous. “It’s about whether this country values families and children enough to protect them.”
