Unexpected Immigration Enforcement Visits to Schools and Shelters Spark Fear Among Migrant Children

For over ten years, unaccompanied minors fleeing hardships in their home countries have journeyed north from Central America to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Many have been allowed to remain in the United States, with the government generally refraining from imposing the full force of immigration enforcement on them.

Under the Trump administration, an increasing number of these children have encountered direct contact with federal agents.

From New York to Hawaii, agents have shown up without warning at schools, homes, and immigrant shelters to interview the children.

These surprise visits have been described by the administration as “welfare checks” intended to ensure that children are enrolled in school and receiving appropriate care. However, the agents conducting these visits are not social workers, child welfare experts, labor inspectors, or truancy officers. Instead, they primarily belong to the Homeland Security Investigations unit, a specialized branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) responsible for investigating drug and weapons trafficking, cybercrimes, and financial offenses.

When federal agents seeking children appeared unannounced at two elementary schools in Los Angeles last month, they were turned away.