Washington – Today, Congressman Lance Gooden demanded immediate reforms from DHS to address the shocking misplacement and potential loss of over 300,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs), revealed in a new DHS report. The Biden-Harris Administration has completely mismanaged the border crisis and jeopardized the safety and welfare of thousands of children amidst unprecedented illegal crossings.

Since the Biden-Harris Administration took office, border chaos has intensified, with over 473,145 UAC crossings reported, over half of whom may be unaccounted for due to DHS’s and HHS's catastrophic failures. The report confirmed ICE has lost track of at least 32,000 UACs who failed to appear for their immigration court hearings, but an additional 291,000 children may be unaccounted for after ICE failed to place them in removal proceedings or issue a court date. This gross negligence is a direct threat to national security and underscores the terrifying realities that exist at the southern border.

"The Biden-Harris Administration's lax border policies have turned our southern border into a lawless zone, directly contributing to human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable children," Rep. Gooden stated. "This is not merely a failure of policy but a severe moral failing of our government."

New findings from the DHS Office of Inspector General are damning, detailing a systematic breakdown in safeguarding unaccompanied minors from trafficking and abuse. The scale of this crisis reflects an administration that is both unprepared and unwilling to protect the most vulnerable. The intentional damage done by the Biden-Harris administration will cause a generation of harm to these children. There must be accountability for failures by this administration that will require decades of anti-trafficking, educational, healthcare, and welfare efforts to rectify the damage done.

"Under President Biden and Kamala Harris's watch, our southern border has become a gateway for traffickers and cartels exploiting children for profit. This administration’s policies serve the interests of criminals, not the American people or the innocent children caught in this bureaucratic nightmare," Rep. Gooden added.

Read the full letter here.