Sun Feb 23 14:18:21 UTC 2025: **Trump Administration to Deport Hundreds of Thousands of Migrant Children**
**Washington D.C.** – The Trump administration is reportedly launching a major initiative to locate and deport hundreds of thousands of migrant children who entered the United States unaccompanied. An internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) memo outlines a four-phase plan targeting these children, prioritizing those deemed flight risks, including those with outstanding deportation orders or released to non-blood relatives.
The initiative, dubbed the “Unaccompanied Alien Children Joint Initiative Field Implementation,” will leverage various databases and government records to track down the children, many of whom are now adults or living with family members. According to government data, over 600,000 unaccompanied minors have crossed the US-Mexico border since 2019, with tens of thousands already facing deportation orders. The memo emphasizes that the aim is to protect children from human trafficking and exploitation, but critics fear a mass deportation effort reminiscent of the Trump administration’s controversial family separation policy.
The plan builds on previous Trump administration efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, including a “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in widespread family separations at the border in 2018. While that policy was officially halted, concerns remain about the fate of children who remain separated from their parents.
The ICE memo directs agents to focus on locating and serving immigration documents to these children, potentially using their addresses to identify and target other undocumented adults within their households. The administration has also recently tightened vetting procedures for sponsors of unaccompanied children, requiring fingerprints and background checks. This initiative has drawn criticism from advocates who argue it will further traumatize vulnerable children and families. The long-term impact of this large-scale deportation effort on the children and the broader immigration system remains to be seen.
First Piper 