A top official with the Department of Health and Human Services testified that nearly 1500 children who arrived unaccompanied at the southern border are unaccounted for.
And now, there are concerns that that number could increase as the Trump Administration implements their policy of separating children as young as one year old from their parents at the border.
Steven Wagner, the acting assistant secretary for the HHS’ Administration for Children and families, told a Senate subcommittee on homeland security that between October and December 2017, the Office of Refuge Resettlement (ORR), which is under his purview, attempted to contact 7,635 unaccompanied children. He testified that the ORR ‘was unable to determine with certainty the whereabouts of 1,475 children.’
Steven Wagner, a top HHS official told Senators that his department had lost track of almost 1500 migrant children
Central American children play at a respite center in Texas. Many families turn themselves in as soon as they get across the border
The children were reportedly mostly from El Salvador, Guatamala and Honduras. They arrived at the Southwest border fleeing from gangs, abuse, and drug cartels. After arriving at the border, they were taken into government care, and then sent to live, usually with relatives, and that is how the government lost 1475 children, or 20% of the the children who came into the country seeking safety.
And now, that number could increase as the Trump Administration moves to enforce their ‘zero tolerance’ policy, which includes arrests of first time crossers and other punishments.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions noted, ‘if you’re smuggling a child, then we’re going to prosecute you, and that child will be separated from you, probably, as required by law. If you don’t want your child separated, then don’t bring them across the border illegally.’
Border patrol agents take Central American immigrants into custody in this file photo, the new ‘zero tolerance’ policy could lead to families being separated
In this file photo of the San Ysidro Port of entry at the Mexican border with California cars wait to be admitted to the US
This morning President Trump said his administration is not to blame for the policy, tweeting, ‘Put pressure on the Democrats to end the horrible law that separates children from there parents once they cross the Border into the U.S. Catch and Release, Lottery and Chain must also go with it and we MUST continue building the WALL!’
Meanwhile, there is concern about the 1475 children who are missing, and could have fallen into the hands of human traffickers.
President Trump tweeted on Saturday morning that Democrats are to blame for the policies separating families.