Hawkeye Reporter

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has released Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) data indicating that the Biden-Harris administration placed more than 11,000 migrant children with sponsors who were not vetted and were not the children's parents or legal guardians. The data also show that home studies were not conducted for over 79,000 migrant children under the age of 12.

The information was provided to Grassley by the Trump administration following his oversight requests. According to HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement, between January 2021 and January 2025, a total of 11,488 migrant children were placed with unvetted sponsors who did not undergo fingerprinting or background checks as required by U.S. Code 1232(c)(3)(A). This law mandates FBI criminal history checks for non-parent or non-guardian sponsors.

Grassley stated, “My oversight continues to expose disturbing evidence that the Biden-Harris administration turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of kids who needed proper supervision and care. It’s appalling to prioritize speed and optics over the safety and wellbeing of children. I appreciate the Trump administration’s efforts to undo the damage caused by the last administration’s failed border policies, and I’ll continue my oversight of the issue to ensure abuse like this never happens again.”

From October 2020 through September 2024, HHS cared for nearly half a million unaccompanied migrant children. From October 2024 through June 2025, another 21,399 unaccompanied minors entered HHS care.

The data further indicate that during this period, home studies—which are required before releasing a child under age 12 to a sponsor who is not their parent or legal guardian—were not performed for approximately ten percent of recommended cases. Specifically, no home study was done for at least 1,961 children in households where one was advised.

In February 2025, HHS began an interagency initiative aimed at identifying and addressing suspected fraud, exploitation, and trafficking within its Unaccompanied Children program. This effort seeks better coordination among federal agencies and law enforcement regarding potential criminal activity.

Grassley has been involved in legislative efforts targeting these issues for over a decade. In recent years he has criticized what he describes as inadequate safeguards in the Biden-Harris UC program and held a whistleblower roundtable on alleged abuses under current policies. He also introduced legislation intended to strengthen protections against child exploitation; both measures faced opposition from Democrats.

A report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General supported Grassley's findings about lapses in tracking migrant children and failures in vetting sponsors. Grassley has also reported that more than 65,000 notifications concerning migrant children—including over 7,300 related to human trafficking—were ignored or dismissed by current officials.