Tom Homan and the Department of Health and Human Services have recovered 22,638 unaccompanied migrant children who were reported missing under the Biden administration. The effort, described as a “war room” operation in Washington, D.C., involved volunteers from agencies like the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. Officials revealed that many children were found in deplorable conditions, including instances of sexual assault, forced labor, and trafficking.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, over 470,000 unaccompanied minors crossed the U.S. border between 2021 and 2024. Many were released to sponsors with minimal vetting, leading to cases of child endangerment, including labor exploitation and abuse. The team’s data-driven approach focused on tracing records and addresses to locate children who had disappeared into the system.
John Fabbricatore, a senior advisor at HHS, highlighted the severity of the situation, stating that some children were found in “horrific environments” where sponsors included individuals involved in drug trafficking. At least 27 minors were discovered dead under the Biden administration, with causes including murder, suicide, and drug overdoses. Over 400 sponsors have been arrested for violating child welfare laws.
The operation, initiated under President Donald Trump’s campaign promises, aimed to address gaps in screening processes, such as the lack of DNA testing to verify familial relationships. Officials criticized the previous administration for failing to maintain accurate records, forcing investigators to “draw data back in” to track children’s whereabouts.
Fox News confirmed details of the effort, emphasizing the challenges posed by lax vetting policies and the systemic failures that left vulnerable minors at risk.