Trump administration reforms 'Unaccompanied Alien Child' policy to prevent child trafficking

The administration of President Donald Trump implemented stricter data verification changes to the "Unaccompanied Alien Children" (UAC) program.

The program was an initiative established by Democrats in 2008 which consisted of sheltering newly arrived children and was implemented with the goal of reducing the trafficking of minors by criminal networks. However, it was criticized because of its poor background checks and the immigration status of those who offered to sponsor minors in government-funded shelters.

Fingerprint checks were previously eliminated

The Immigration Accountability Project called the measure a "major victory," arguing that it will decrease the risk of children falling into the hands of human traffickers for labor or sexual exploitation.

The new regulation also gives Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials access to a database with information on unaccompanied minors as well as re-implementing logistical measures that had been repealed by the Biden administration, even those as basic as requiring fingerprints of all adults in a home before the release of a minor to their custody.

Melissa Harper, an ICE official assigned as acting director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), defended the changes and called on her team to strengthen security and accountability in the process of fostering minors.

Tom Homan, former acting ICE director and Trump's border czar, had already suggested such a move in the past, arguing that access to such data would ensure the safety of these children.