Reuters reports that since January 2025 the Office of Refugee Resettlement provided ICE with more than 460,000 investigative leads related to unaccompanied migrant children and their sponsors, a change that has coincided with over 12,000 arrests. Former ORR deputy director Jen Smyers says data-sharing safeguards have been "completely reversed," while ORR maintains it "plays no role in the apprehension of children." Officials say the exchanges help locate children placed with "unvetted sponsors," but advocates warn the policy may discourage family reunification.
ORR Shared 460,000+ Leads With ICE; Data Sharing Tied to 12,000+ Immigration Arrests, Reuters Reports
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Since January 2025, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has provided Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with more than 460,000 "investigative leads" tied to unaccompanied migrant children, their sponsors and other household members, Reuters reported on July 28. U.S. immigration officers have arrested over 12,000 people after the agency began sharing that information during President Donald Trump's second term.
ORR is the federal agency that cares for children who arrive in the United States without a parent or legal guardian until they can be released to a designated "sponsor," most often a parent or relative. Historically, information gathered during sponsorship vetting was kept separate from immigration enforcement; critics say that separation has eroded under the current administration.
Jen Smyers, former ORR deputy director under President Joe Biden, told Reuters that the safeguards restricting data sharing between ORR and ICE have been "completely reversed." "They are weaponizing a child welfare program for the purposes of more deportations," she said.
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An ORR spokesperson told Reuters the department "plays no role in the apprehension of children." Federal officials told the news agency they intend the information exchanges to help locate children who may have been placed with "unvetted sponsors," a measure officials say is aimed at protecting children.
Immigrant advocates warn that sharing sponsor and household data with ICE can deter families from coming forward to reunify with children out of fear of deportation. The change has prompted debate among former agency officials, advocates and lawmakers about how to balance child welfare protections with enforcement priorities.
What the Report Leaves Unclear
The Reuters report does not provide a detailed breakdown of the leads or the arrests by location, nor does it explain how many leads resulted in enforcement actions versus welfare checks. ORR and ICE have not published a comprehensive public accounting of how the shared information has been used in individual cases.
As the debate continues, advocates are calling for greater transparency around what information is shared, how it is used, and what safeguards exist to protect the welfare and privacy of children and their sponsors.
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