RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is calling on the Biden-Harris administration to take action in response to a report released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) earlier this week.
The report states that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot always track the locations of unaccompanied migrant children who are released from DHS and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody.
“The disappearance of even one child is a tragedy, but the bureaucratic failures that have led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children is nothing short of a crisis,” said Attorney General Miyares. “Federal, state, and local authorities must work together to establish a seamless system that prioritizes the safety and well-being of these children. This is not just a federal issue—it is a national crisis that requires full commitment and cooperation from all levels of government.”
Miyares sent President Biden and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services a letter in February raising concerns about the unaccompanied migrant children and advocating for enhanced collaboration among federal, state, and local governments. In April, he followed up with a second letter that outlined his recommendations.
The full DHS report can be found here.