US clears path to share migrant sponsors’ immigration info; Families fear, may avoid claiming migrant children

The U.S. agency that oversees unaccompanied migrant children will soon be allowed to share sponsors’ immigration status with law enforcement — a major policy shift that critics warn could deter parents and relatives from stepping forward to reunite with their children.

Under the regulatory change, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will also eliminate language that barred it from denying a child's release solely based on a sponsor’s immigration status, according to a Federal Register notice set to be published Tuesday.

The change follows a string of aggressive immigration moves under former President Donald Trump, whose administration launched a broad crackdown after taking office in 2017 — including efforts to locate hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant minors already in the U.S.

Earlier this month, the Trump-appointed head of ORR was abruptly removed amid calls to ramp up enforcement.

Children fleeing violence and poverty in Central America began arriving in large numbers over a decade ago, often drawn by U.S. policies that allowed them to stay. While their cases are processed, ORR typically places them with sponsors — usually parents or relatives — outside of federal custody.

The agency now says that Biden-era regulations conflicted with federal law, which it claims requires agencies to disclose individuals’ immigration status when necessary. However, opponents argue that cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could discourage family members from claiming children due to fear of detention or deportation.

Back in 2018, an ICE official estimated that 80% of sponsors and family members lacked legal status.

The backlash grew louder after reports surfaced that the Trump administration had also largely shut down a federal program providing unaccompanied children with legal counsel.

"Ending this long-standing program is a direct attack on due process," said Shayna Kessler, a director at the Vera Institute of Justice, which has helped provide legal aid to minors.

The Administration for Children and Families, ORR’s parent agency, has yet to comment on the program’s suspension.

(With Reuters inputs)