After denouncing that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are seeking to detain and deport unaccompanied migrant minors without respecting constitutional protections, a group of 11 Democratic senators Lawmakers sent a letter Wednesday to high-ranking federal officials, demanding a halt to these practices ordered by President Donald Trump's administration. The letter is addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Director of the Office of Immigration Case Review Daren K. Margolin, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, demanding a halt to the detention and deportation of unaccompanied migrant children, according to Univision. In the document, the legislators request that the government suspend coercive measures against the children, guarantee their protection while their immigration cases are resolved, and develop clear policies to prevent abuses. The letter warns that these actions, carried out under the "zero tolerance" policy, seriously endanger children and have exacerbated fear in an already vulnerable group. They denounce the persecution of migrant children. "Since the Trump administration took office, unaccompanied migrant children have been systematically targeted for deportation,” the letter states, recalling a DHS attempt to deport 10 children between the ages of 10 and 16 to Guatemala overnight, despite their having expressed fear before immigration judges. A federal judge blocked the operation and ordered the children to remain in shelters until a final decision. At that time, approximately 2,000 children, mostly from Guatemala, were in DHS care while their immigration cases proceeded. The document also references a DHS statement from July, which indicated that Secretary Noem was leading efforts “to rescue and stop the exploitation of the 300,000 unaccompanied minors (UACs) that the Biden Administration had lost or assigned to unverified sponsors.” According to the agency, some children were allegedly handed over to smugglers and sex traffickers,although to date no evidence has been presented to confirm these allegations.

In terms of numbers, CBP recorded 315,949 apprehensions of unaccompanied minors during the Biden administration (2021-2025), while under the first Trump administration (2017-2021) 326,875 were reported, a 3.45% increase.

Criticism of current policies

Senators denounce that the Trump administration has increased the detention of minors, sent agents to the homes of released children, offered deceptive payments for self-deportation, and imposed high fines. They point out that these practices have increased the risk to minors, separated families, and worsened detention conditions.

The letter underlines Although the government claims to be protecting children from trafficking and exploitation, its actions contradict this intention, as it has dismantled legal protections and child welfare regulations, affecting more than 600,000 minors prosecuted between the Trump and Biden administrations. The letter is signed by Democratic legislators Edward J. Markey, Jeffrey A. Merkley, Richard Blumenthal, Martin Heinrich, Jacky Rosen, Angela D. Alsobrooks, Cory A. Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Andy Kim, Mazie K. Hirono, and Bernard Sanders, who urge an end to these practices, as they endanger migrant children, and the establishment of effective protection policies.000 minors processed between the Trump and Biden administrations.

The letter is signed by Democratic legislators. Edward J. Markey, Jeffrey A. Merkley, Richard Blumenthal, Martin Heinrich, Jacky Rosen, Angela D. Alsobrooks, Cory A. Booker, Chris Van Hollen, Andy Kim, Mazie K. Hirono, and Bernard Sanders, who urge a halt to these practices, as they endanger migrant children, and the establishment of effective protection policies.