The Trump administration has widened its investigation into the fate of hundreds of thousands of children who crossed the U.S.–Mexico border alone during the Biden years, The Washington Post reported on 13 June. Federal agents from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general have begun unannounced visits to nonprofits that hold government contracts to provide legal services to the minors. Internal correspondence reviewed by the Post shows that the acting director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Angie Salazar, even sought Pentagon auditors to examine the groups’ invoices—an effort critics say would blur the military-civilian line under the Posse Comitatus Act. Although the Pentagon ultimately declined to participate, HSI agents pressed nonprofits for client files and financial records. Administration officials, backed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, assert the probe is necessary to uncover cases in which sponsors abused children or used them for labor trafficking. Prosecutors announced criminal charges against three Guatemalan nationals last week. But immigrant advocates warn the aggressive tactics could deter vulnerable children from seeking the legal help they need to appear in court and win humanitarian visas. For global mobility teams, the investigation signals a tougher enforcement climate that could spill over into corporate contexts—especially if ICE begins scrutinizing organizations that employ former unaccompanied minors under Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) status or newly issued work permits. Companies should review internal protocols for handling inquiries from HSI and ensure that any information requests—particularly those involving minors—are routed through counsel. Legal-aid providers are rallying congressional allies to demand oversight. Senator Ron Wyden condemned the unannounced visits, and NGOs are considering litigation if agents press for privileged case files without subpoenas. The episode underscores how children’s migration issues remain at the heart of the administration’s broader enforcement agenda.
Source: The Washington Post
