The Trump administration is intensifying efforts to remove undocumented migrant children from the United States, with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller playing a central role in coordinating the policy across several federal agencies.
The effort involves the Departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and Justice, with officials from the State Department and Department of Defense also involved in aspects of the programme.
The administration’s approach includes efforts to speed up immigration proceedings involving children and increase cooperation between agencies responsible for their care and those responsible for immigration enforcement.
The development has raised concerns among immigration advocates and former government officials, who argue that increased coordination between child-care and enforcement agencies could weaken safeguards designed to protect vulnerable minors.
Federal authorities currently have more than 1,800 undocumented migrant children in their custody, according to reporting based on sources familiar with the administration’s efforts. Many of the children had previously experienced abuse, neglect, abandonment or other forms of exploitation before entering the United States.
The administration has presented the initiative primarily as an effort to locate children who entered the country without their parents and reunite them with family members in their countries of origin. The White House said agencies are working to identify children who may have been placed with poorly vetted sponsors and to address cases involving alleged trafficking.
However, the policy has generated controversy over how immigration enforcement should be balanced with the protection of children. Critics cited in the reporting argue that accelerating removal proceedings could leave some minors with insufficient time to obtain legal representation or pursue asylum claims.
Data cited in the report indicates that immigration judges issued nearly 200,000 removal orders involving children since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. The figure includes children appearing in immigration court whether they arrived alone or with family, and researchers said the number may be an undercount.
The administration’s actions come as it continues a broader tightening of US immigration enforcement. A separate policy change has also altered how suspected trafficking cases involving migrant children are reported and handled, prompting concerns from advocates about access to protections and services for potential trafficking victims.
The latest measures are likely to remain a major point of debate over the treatment of undocumented children, immigration enforcement and the responsibilities of federal agencies caring for minors.
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