The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working diligently with its interagency partners to ensure that unaccompanied migrant children are placed with vetted family members or other sponsors in the U.S. as quickly and safely as possible.
Children age 17 and under who are unaccompanied by parents or other legal guardians and who have no lawful immigration status in the United States (unaccompanied children) and who are apprehended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are transferred to the care and custody of the HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). HHS plays no role in the apprehension or detention of unaccompanied children prior to their referral to HHS custody. HHS does not provide care or custody for adult non-citizens or family units that include adults.
ORR is legally required to provide for the care and custody of all unaccompanied children referred to ORR until they are placed with a vetted sponsor, usually a parent or relative, while their immigration cases proceed.
ORR operates a network of 289 facilities/programs in 29 states and has a proven track record of accountability and transparency for program operations, as well as being a good neighbor in the communities where facilities are located. The impact of these shelters on the local community is minimal. Unaccompanied children remain under staff supervision at all times. HHS works in close coordination with local officials on security and safety of the children and community. The unaccompanied children in ORR custody do not attend local public schools. HHS arranges for the security of unaccompanied children. On-site security is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
As of today, there are 8,042 children in ORR care.
While ORR has worked to build up its standard bed capacity, additional capacity is urgently needed to manage the increasing numbers of unaccompanied children referrals from DHS. In preparation for the potential need for additional beds and to provide services and care that align with child welfare best practices, HHS opened several influx care facilities (ICFs), which offer the full range of services offered in ORR’s network of care. ORR is committed to ensuring ICFs meet or exceed state licensing standards.