The Biden administration faced challenges in vetting and monitoring homes for migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2021, as per a federal watchdog report. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) failed to conduct basic safety checks on some adults who took in children without parents, lacking address and criminal background checks. Around one-third of reviewed cases lacked clear documentation for adults. HHS analyst Haley Lubeck noted deficiencies in updating children’s case files and sponsor records. HHS responded, citing improvements and attributing issues to an unprecedented influx, including enhanced training for staff handling migrant children.
President Biden encountered pressure over immigration policies, notably handling children arriving without parents. HHS’s swift release of children to sponsors drew criticism for potential exploitation. The federal watchdog examined over 300 migrant children’s case files from early 2021, following a surge in arrivals. HHS placed over 16,000 children with adults in March and April 2021. Despite requirements, HHS faced challenges obtaining clear IDs for sponsors, with over a third of cases showing illegible IDs, potentially indicating forgery. Basic safety checks, like background and address verifications, were not consistently documented in 15% of cases.
HHS neglected follow-up checks on children’s placements, averaging 122 days before contacting them after failing to follow up within the required timeframe. Previous investigations highlighted the administration’s rushed response to the 2021 migrant surge, resulting in inadequate staff training.
