Dozens of GOP House and Senate lawmakers slam Biden admin over unaccompanied migrant children

Dozens of Republican senators and House members on Monday slammed the Biden administration for its handling of the influx of at least 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children that came to the United States illegally over the past four years.

Unaccompanied minors are usually turned over by the United States Border Patrol to Health and Human Services (HHS) who attempt to find them a sponsor within the country, preferably a family member, according to Fox News.

The lawmakers accused the Biden administration in a letter of "cover[ing] up" information about the surge in illegal migrant children, and of failing those children by cutting back on the vetting process for sponsors, including by allegedly limiting the use of familial DNA tests.

They also accused the administration of cutting back on sharing information between the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and law enforcement, and of failing to follow-up with the sponsors after placement.

"HHS must stop its cover-up and cooperate with law enforcement and Congress to end this crisis and protect unaccompanied children and the American people," the lawmakers, led by Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, wrote. 

The Biden administration pushed back on the accusations that they have ended familial DNA tests, saying the Border Patrol still does the DNA testing automatically for migrants aged 14-79 unless otherwise exempted, per Fox.

The report comes after a New York Times report revealed last year that Border Patrol had been unable to reach 85,000 minors, and a report this year revealed that more than 32,000 migrant children did not show up for immigration court hearings, and that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not account for the location of everyone who failed to appear. 

The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General report also claimed that HHS failed to provide the Department of Homeland Security with adequate information in response to subpoenas and information requests.

"By not supplying the information law enforcement requested, ORR denied Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents critical information, including the last known addresses of children and sponsors and the identity of other household members," the letter said.

The letter was also signed by Senate Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Ron Johnson; House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy; and House Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Tom McClintock, among others.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.