ICE Unable to Account for 32,000 Unaccompanied Illegal Immigrant Children, Watchdog Warns

ICE must take immediate action to ensure the safety of unaccompanied children residing in the United States, Inspector General Joseph Cuffari said.

A young illegal immigrant waits to take a shower at a Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied illegal immigrant children, in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas on March 30, 2021. Dario Lopez-Mills/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is unable to account for more than 32,000 unaccompanied illegal immigrant children who failed to appear for court hearings, according to a recent watchdog report.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (DHS OIG) stated in the Aug. 19 report sent to Congress that it uncovered an urgent issue regarding how immigration cases involving illegal immigrant minors have been handled.