Health Agency Seeks to Deport Over 500 Migrant Children, Senator Says

Senator Ron Wyden accused the Department of Health and Human Services of preparing to deport more than 500 unaccompanied migrant children in its custody. In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. , Wyden said the department is using a list of more than 500 children as targets for expedited removal under a new administrative process.

All of the children have been in federal custody for at least 180 days and are classified as category 4, meaning no viable sponsor has been identified. They have been placed in long-term foster care with Office of Refugee Resettlement providers around the country, and the vast majority have legal representation in their immigration proceedings.

Their countries of origin include Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Afghanistan.

Wyden said the reported initiative coincides with a 30 June 2026 deadline for immigration courts to conclude the children’s cases. He sent four previous oversight letters to HHS concerning the reorientation of ORR and stated that the Senate Finance Committee has been unable to obtain answers from the department.

The letter demands that HHS immediately suspend any screening or removal initiative involving children in ORR custody and provide a written response by 26 June 2026.

An HHS spokesperson said there are no plans to target these children. The statement said the Biden administration released these children without adequate sponsor vetting and that the Trump administration is working to identify parents or legal guardians of unaccompanied alien children in its care, with ensuring every child is placed with a properly vetted sponsor as the top priority.