Unaccompanied Children
Last Updated: 04-03-2024
Since responsibility for unaccompanied children was transferred to HHS by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, OIG has provided oversight of the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program.* OIG is charged with overseeing programs and operations in HHS, including the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), to combat fraud and abuse in those programs and promote their efficiency and effectiveness. To accomplish this, OIG employs an array of oversight tools: investigations, evaluations, and audits. Read More
OIG has completed work examining various aspects of the UC Program. For example, we audited grantee expenditures and assessed their internal controls for administering UC Program funds. We also examined whether ORR grantees met safety standards for the care and release of children in their custody. When OIG has identified possible criminal misconduct, we have investigated it or referred it to our Federal or local law enforcement partners as appropriate. All of these efforts have one unifying purpose—to promote the protection of children in the Department's care.
*Before March 2021, the Unaccompanied Children (UC) Program was named the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Program.
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| Title | Date | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| ACF Has Enhanced Some Cybersecurity Controls Over the Unaccompanied Children Portal and Data But Improvements Are Needed A-18-22-03200 | 04-03-2024 | information system security, technology, IT, PII, safety, UC Portal, Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity controls, DHS |
| Issue Brief: Insights from OIG’s Work on the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Efforts to Care for Unaccompanied Children OEI-09-23-00440 | 03-12-2024 | influx care, coordination, DHS, mental health, health, care, foster, facility, facilities, providers, safety, screenings, physical security, staff, employees, retaining, hiring, case managers, planning, inspections, sponsors, technology, information system security |
| Gaps in Sponsor Screening and Followup Raise Safety Concerns for Unaccompanied Children OEI-07-21-00250 | 02-15-2024 | Facility, facilities, providers, shelters, field guidance, UC Portal, UC Portal search, ICF, influx care, safety, staff, case managers, screenings, criminal background checks, criminal, training, placement, post-release, postrelease, post release, release, discharge, sponsors, emergency intake site, EIS, background checks, sponsor screenings |
| The Office of Refugee Resettlement Needs To Improve Its Oversight Related to the Placement and Transfer of Unaccompanied Children A-06-20-07002 | 05-25-2023 | Facility, facilities, providers, shelters, foster, UC Portal, temporary, ICF, influx care, care, health, mental health, safety, case managers, contractors, grantees, coordination, intake placement checklists, medial checklists, intake specialists, transfer requests, initial placements, initial placement designations, attorney of record, legal service provider, hiring, retaining |
| The Office of Refugee Resettlement Needs To Improve Its Practices for Background Checks During Influxes A-06-21-07003 | 05-02-2023 | Facility, facilities, providers, shelters, foster, UC Portal, temporary, ICF, influx care, care, health, mental health, safety, case managers, contractors, grantees, coordination, intake placement checklists, medial checklists, intake specialists, transfer requests, initial placements, initial placement designations, attorney of record, legal service provider, hiring, retaining |
| Operational Challenges Within ORR and the ORR Emergency Intake Site at Fort Bliss Hindered Case Management for Children OEI-07-21-00251 | 09-27-2022 | facility, facilities, providers, shelters, contractors, coordination, DHS, Homeland, Customs, Border, CBP, detention, temporary, tent, ICF, influx care, Texas, training, communication, field guidance, UC Portal search, retaliation, whistleblower, care, health, mental health, safety, employees, staff, case managers, hiring, retaining, trauma, placement, COVID-19, quarantine, sponsors, distress, anxiety, panic attacks, screenings |
| Office of Refugee Resettlement's Influx Care Facility and Emergency Intake Sites Did Not Adequately Safeguard Unaccompanied Children From COVID-19 A-06-21-07002 | 06-22-2022 | Facility, facilities, contractors, coordination, semi-permanent, semi permanent, temporary, ICF, influx care, EIS, emergency intake site, unlicensed, California, Texas, Michigan, DHS, Homeland, CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, providers, care, health, safety, employees, staff, volunteers, COVID-19, coronavirus, pandemic, communicable, disease, communicable disease, outbreak, quarantine, isolation, isolate, emergency planning, emergency preparedness, preparedness, planning, Long Beach, Long Beach Convention Center, Pomona Fairplex, Pomona, Fairplex, San Diego, San Diego Convention Center, Starr Commonwealth, Starr, Commonwealth, Carrizo Springs, Carrizo, Delphi, Donna, Dimmit, Fort Bliss, Fort, El Paso, Joint Base Lackland, Lackland, San Antonio, Midland, Pecos, testing, COVID-19 testing, COVID-19 tests, tests, test results, contracts, contact tracing, mask wearing, physical distancing, symptom screening, temperature checks |
| HHS Should Improve Internal Coordination Regarding Unaccompanied Children OEI-BL-20-00670 | 05-04-2022 | Coordination, DHS, Homeland, Customs, Border, CBP, ICF, Influx care, Care, COVID-19, Communicable, Disease, Communicable disease, Quarantine, Planning, Title 42, Deport, Deportation |
| Office of Refugee Resettlement Generally Ensured That Selected Care Provider Facilities for Its Unaccompanied Children Program Complied With Federal Emergency Preparedness Requirements A-04-20-02025 | 02-14-2022 | facility, facilities, providers, shelters, DHS, Homeland, emergency, emergency planning, emergency preparedness, preparedness, emergency event, emergency contact, care, disaster, evacuation, transfer, medical, safety, safety planning |
| Characteristics of Separated Children in ORR's Care: June 27, 2018–November 15, 2020 OEI-BL-20-00680 | 11-12-2021 | separated, separated children, border, detention, DHS, Homeland, criminal, criminal history, criminal background checks, zero-tolerance, zero tolerance, family separation, reunify, reunifications, sponsors, release, discharge |
| Toolkit: Insights from OIG's Work on the Office of Refugee Resettlement's Efforts To Care for Unaccompanied Children OEI-09-21-00220 | 05-25-2021 | criminal history, welfare, mental health, safety, employees, staff, significant incident reports, SIRs, physical security, influx care, emergency intake, health, COVID-19, pandemic, coronavirus, DHS, homeland, coordination, reunification, reunify, screenings, criminal background checks, surge, transfer, planning, sponsors, infectious, communicable disease, hiring, retaining, release, discharge, telehealth |
| The Office of Refugee Resettlement Did Not Award and Manage the Homestead Influx Care Facility Contracts in Accordance With Federal Requirements A-12-20-20001 | 12-18-2020 | Homestead, facilities, facility, shelters, providers, ICF, Biscayne, Comprehensive, CHS, contractors, No-Bid, sole source, Federal Acquisition Regulation, FAR, Brookstone, General Dynamics, SWK, no bid, Southwest Key, temporary, emergency |
| Office of Refugee Resettlement Ensured That Selected Care Providers Were Prepared To Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic A-04-20-02031 | 11-06-2020 | safety planningc, COVID-19, pandemic, coronavirus, emergency preparedness, preparedness, emergency planning, planning, quarantine, communicable, disease, communicable disease, outbreak, health, facilities, facility, providers, shelters, PPE, CDC, telehealth, infectious, cleanliness |
| Youth For Tomorrow - New Life Center, Inc., an Administration for Children and Families Grantee, Did Not Comply With All Applicable Federal Policies and Requirements A-03-16-00250 | 09-29-2020 | criminal history, Virginia, shelters, providers, facility, facilities, allowable, expenditures, costs, claim, funds, transactions, criminal background checks, screenings, employees, staff, unallowable, care, release, discharge, Bristow, safety, health, salary, salaries, compensation |
| Southwest Key Programs Failed To Protect Federal Funds Intended for the Care and Placement of Unaccompanied Alien Children A-06-17-07004 | 09-16-2020 | Texas, Arizona, California, allowable, costs, expenditures, SWK, unallowable, claim, funds, grantee, transactions, facility, facilities, providers, shelters, rental, capital leases, GAAP, less-than-arm's-length, less than arm's length, salary, salaries, compensation |
| The Office of Refugee Resettlement's Incident Reporting System Is Not Effectively Capturing Data To Assist Its Efforts To Ensure the Safety of Minors in HHS Custody OEI-09-18-00430 | 06-17-2020 | Safety, employees, staff, facilities, facility, providers, shelters, significant incident reports, sexual assaults, SIRs, sexual abuse, assaults, abuse, physical, physical abuse, harassment, sexual harassment, national |
| Unaccompanied Alien Children Program Care Provider Facilities Do Not Include All Required Security Measures in their Checklists OEI-05-19-00210 | 06-17-2020 | Facilities; facility, providers, shelters, safety, employees, staff, inspections, national, physical, physical security |
| Communication and Management Challenges Impeded HHS's Response to the Zero-Tolerance Policy OEI-BL-18-00510 | 03-05-2020 | criminal history, Zero tolerance, Zero-tolerance, family separation, separated, DHS, CBP, coordination, reunifications, Homeland, Customs, Border, reunify, national, coordination, DOJ, Justice, planning, facilities, facility, providers, sheltersx, criminal background checks |
| Care Provider Facilities Described Challenges Addressing Mental Health Needs of Children in HHS Custody (OEI-09-18-00431) | 09-03-2019 | Zero tolerance, separated, mental health clinician, mental health, clinicians, trauma, employees, staff, safety, facilities, facility, providers, shelters, sponsors, reunifications, Zero-tolerance, reunify, family separation, national, hiring, retaining, transfer |
| Unaccompanied Alien Children Care Provider Facilities Generally Conducted Required Background Checks but Faced Challenges in Hiring, Screening, and Retaining Employees (A-12-19-20001) | 09-03-2019 | criminal history, Employees, staff, screenings, criminal background checks, ratios, shelters, facility, facilities, providers, case managers, mental health clinicians, waivers, staffing, national, safety |
| Southwest Key Did Not Have Adequate Controls in Place To Secure Personally Identifiable Information Under the Unaccompanied Alien Children Program (A-18-18-06001) | 08-15-2019 | Texas, Arizona, California, PII, information system security, SWK, technology, grantee, providers, facility, facilities, shelters |
| Southwest Key Programs Did Not Always Comply With Health and Safety Requirements For The Unaccompanied Alien Children Program (A-06-17-07005) | 08-15-2019 | criminal history, providers, facility, facilities, shelters, Texas, California, Arizona, care, release, discharge, reunifications, criminal background checks, screenings, sponsors, employees, staff, SWK, ratios, grantee, video, hazards, hazardous, cleanliness |
| The Children's Village, Inc., an Administration for Children and Families Grantee, Did Not Always Comply with Applicable Federal and State Policies and Requirements (A-02-16-02013) | 04-26-2019 | criminal history, safety, criminal background checks, screenings, sponsors, employees, staff, care, release, discharge, allowable, expenditures, drawdowns, New York, unallowable, costs, claim, funds, providers, facility, facilities, shelters, transactions, Dobbs Ferry, salary, salaries, compensation, hazards, hazardous |
| Lincoln Hall Boys' Haven, an Administration for Children and Families Grantee, Did Not Always Comply With Applicable Federal and State Policies and Requirements (A-02-16-02007) | 02-11-2019 | criminal history, safety, release, discharge, criminal background checks, screenings, employees, staff, care, allowable, expenditures, costs, State, New York, unallowable, claim, funds, providers, facility, facilities, shelters, transactions, Lincolndale, fire, health, video |
| Separated Children Placed in Office of Refugee Resettlement Care (OEI-BL-18-00511) | 01-17-2019 | Zero tolerance, Zero-tolerance, family separation, DHS, CBP, coordination, reunifications, reunify, Homeland, Customs, Border, Ms. L, Ms L, ICE, release, discharge, national, placement, transfer |
| BCFS Health and Human Services Did Not Always Comply With Federal and State Requirements Related to the Health and Safety of Unaccompanied Alien Children (A-06-17-07007) | 12-06-2018 | criminal history, sponsors, criminal background checks, screenings, employees, staff, care, release, discharge, Texas, facility, facilities, shelters, providers, foster, grantee, San Antonio, fire, video |
| The Tornillo Influx Care Facility: Concerns About Staff Background Checks and Number of Clinicians on Staff (A-12-19-20000) | 11-27-2018 | criminal history, tent, Texas, unlicensed, ratios, criminal background checks, screenings, employees, staff, semi- permanent, waivers, temporary, emergency, memorandum, grantee, shelters, facility, facilities, providers, care, BCFS, mental health, ICF |
| Florence Crittenton Services of Orange County, Inc., Did Not Always Claim Expenditures in Accordance With Federal Requirements (A-09-17-01002) | 10-15-2018 | California, allowable, expenditures, costs, shelters, facility, claim, unallowable, funds, Fullerton, providers, facilities, shelters, transactions, grantee, salary, salaries, compensation |
| Heartland Human Care Services, Inc., Generally Met Safety Standards, but Claimed Unallowable Rental Costs (A-05-16-00038) | 09-24-2018 | criminal history, Illinois, providers, facility, criminal background checks, screenings, sponsors, employees, staff, care, release, discharge, allowable expenditures, costs, shelters, facilities, claim, unallowable, transactions, less-than-arm's-length leases, rental, funds, Chicago, grantee, Morse, Chase, Giles, ratios, less than arm's length, health, video |
| Florence Crittenton Services of Orange County, Inc., Did Not Always Meet Applicable Safety Standards Related to Unaccompanied Alien Children (A-09-16-01005) | 06-18-2018 | criminal history, California, providers, facility, criminal background checks, screenings, sponsors, employees, staff, care, facilities, shelters, Fullerton, grantee, release, discharge, health |
| BCFS Health and Human Services Did Not Always Comply With Federal Requirements Related to Less-Than-Arm's-Length Leases (A-06-16-07007) | 02-20-2018 | Texas, allowable, expenditures, costs, transactions, leases, claim, less-than-arm's length, unallowable, funds, Baytown, Raymondville, San Antonio, rental, grantee, providers, facility, facilities, shelters, foster, less than arm's length |
| Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Alien Children Grantee Review-His House (A-04-16-03566) | 12-04-2017 | criminal history, Florida, providers, facility, facilities, shelters, criminal background checks, allowable, expenditures, costs, claim, safety, sponsors, placement, post-release, postrelease, post release, funds, care, Miami, unallowable, transactions, payroll, screenings, discharge, health |
| HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement Improved Coordination and Outreach to Promote the Safety and Well-Being of Unaccompanied Alien Children (OEI-09-16-00260) | 07-31-2017 | criminal history, DHS, coordination, reunifications, reunify, sponsors, screenings, Homeland, postrelease, post release, post-release, release, discharge, placement, MOA, memorandum, trafficking, TVPRA, criminal background checks, transfer |
| Division of Unaccompanied Children's Services: Efforts to Serve Children (OEI-07-06-00290) | 03-06-2008 | DHS, coordination, Homeland, reunifications, reunify, sponsors, screenings, postrelease, post-release, post release, release, Flores, intake, placement, care, MOA, memorandum, background checks, discharge, transfer, detention |