Washington D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security revealed Friday that it has located 13,000 unaccompanied children who crossed the U.S. border since President Joe Biden took office. This comes amid ongoing scrutiny over the handling of migrant children under the current administration.

Under Biden, approximately 300,000 unaccompanied minors were reported missing or placed with sponsors who lacked thorough background checks, a concern raised by DHS. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem emphasized the severe risks linked to human trafficking, likening the situation to “modern-day slavery.” She criticized the Biden administration’s border policies, claiming they have inadvertently facilitated trafficking operations.

In March, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) uncovered 65,000 reports of unaccompanied children that had not been addressed. With a renewed focus, HHS has begun to investigate these reports, leading to over 4,000 leads connected to possible fraud and trafficking incidents.

Noem expressed optimism about the possibility of eradicating human trafficking, stating that a collaborative effort across government levels is essential to tackle the issue effectively. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to eradicate human trafficking operations targeting the United States,” she noted.

Notably, under the previous administration, several unaccompanied minors have been rescued from precarious situations, including a 14-year-old girl in Texas found living with an adult male who was uncovered to be related to her unborn child. Furthermore, a recent case in Nashville involved a girl and her brother who suffered labor trafficking, being forced to work to pay their smuggling fees.

During a House Oversight subcommittee hearing, DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari reported that between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, over 448,000 unaccompanied minors were transferred to HHS from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Cuffari highlighted a significant oversight, revealing that more than 233,000 notices to appear in immigration court were not issued by ICE, leading to over 43,000 children failing to appear as required.

The collaborative efforts among federal law enforcement agencies have resulted in nearly 50,000 home visits to sponsors of multiple unaccompanied minors. This initiative successfully located 12,000 children, with around 400 sponsors arrested in conjunction with these investigations.

The administration maintains that protecting vulnerable children remains a top priority. A spokesperson emphasized their commitment to reuniting minors with their families as part of their ongoing efforts to safeguard children from exploitation.