Trump Administration Identifies Thousands Of Repeat Sponsors In Migrant Child Investigation

The Trump administration announced sweeping reforms to the federal unaccompanied migrant children program after identifying more than 15,500 individuals who each sponsored at least three migrant children, raising concerns about fraud, trafficking, and abuse within the system.

Administration officials revealed the findings during a Thursday press conference focused on vulnerabilities discovered in the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

During the Biden administration, roughly 475,000 unaccompanied migrant children crossed the southern border and entered federal custody. Officials have previously acknowledged losing contact with hundreds of thousands of those minors after they were released to sponsors.

The Trump administration says it has since located approximately 146,000 previously unaccounted-for children as part of an ongoing effort to track their whereabouts and investigate potential exploitation.

Acting ORR Director Angie Salazar said investigators uncovered widespread deficiencies in the sponsorship process.

According to Salazar, officials identified more than 81,000 addresses that were used multiple times to receive migrant children, over 76,000 cases lacking required safety checks, and more than 97,000 instances where background checks were missing or incomplete.

“Children were released to adults who were rarely seen in person,” Salazar said. “They were sent to addresses that were not visited or verified.”

In response, the administration is implementing stricter requirements for prospective sponsors.

The new measures include fingerprint-based background checks, DNA testing when sponsors claim family relationships, income verification, in-person interviews, and home visits before children are released.

“I will move heaven and hell to go find these kids,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said during the event.

Federal officials also announced criminal cases involving individuals accused of exploiting weaknesses in the sponsorship system.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche detailed charges against three alleged “super sponsors” accused of fraudulently obtaining custody of migrant children.

“This is one example, one indictment, but it is not unique,” Blanche said.

According to prosecutors, Guatemalan nationals Maritza Cahuec Coc, Carlos Cahuec Coc, and Gladys Marina Caal Chen allegedly participated in a scheme to obtain custody of more than a dozen migrant children through fraudulent sponsorship applications.

Authorities allege that Maritza Cahuec Coc submitted applications using other individuals’ identities and supporting documents to falsely claim relationships with children entering the country.

Federal agents executing a search warrant at her Ohio residence reportedly discovered multiple adults living in the home, many of whom were in the country illegally, along with several children.

Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva described the alleged scheme as a business operation that generated payments through fraudulent sponsorship arrangements.

“She used other people’s birth certificates, Guatemalan consular ID cards to deceive ORR,” Duva said.

Officials also highlighted the case of Juan Tiul Xi, who was sentenced to ten years in prison after obtaining custody of a 14-year-old migrant girl through false representations before sexually assaulting her.

According to prosecutors, Xi falsely claimed the girl was his sister in order to secure custody through the federal sponsorship process.

“He was entrusted with her care and sexually assaulted her multiple times,” Duva said.

Federal officials argued the cases demonstrate how criminal organizations and individuals exploited weaknesses in the migrant child placement system.

“These cases tell a story,” Duva said. “How criminals use a child protection program to commit fraud.”

The administration says the reforms are intended to strengthen oversight, improve child safety, and prevent trafficking and abuse within the sponsorship system moving forward.