ICE Begins Mass Home Safety Checks for Migrant Children to Evaluate Their Well-Being

ICE launches home safety checks

Inspections with police support

Community fears grow

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a national initiative aimed at verifying the well-being of roughly 450,000 migrant children who entered the United States alone and were released to relatives or sponsors.

The measure, announced Friday, seeks to confirm that these children and teens are not living in situations of risk, neglect, or exploitation.

According to ICE, the inspections will be conducted with the support of local police participating in the 287(g) program, a framework that allows direct collaboration with federal authorities.

The operation is part of the so-called Safety Verification Initiative, which will be implemented gradually across different states.

ICE Home Visits Begin

ICE Begins Mass Home Safety Checks for Migrant Children – Photo: Shutterstock

ICE stated that the plan includes visiting homes to confirm that minors are protected and receiving proper living conditions. The agency explained that these inspections are part of a nationwide effort to improve oversight of unaccompanied minors, particularly in response to reports of labor and sexual exploitation.

Tricia McLaughlin, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said that the administration of President Donald Trump has already conducted more than 24,000 visits to children who entered the country alone.

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“We have intensified our efforts to rescue children who are victims of sexual and labor trafficking,” McLaughlin said, highlighting the cooperation with state and local police.

According to the official, the goal is to locate vulnerable minors who may be in the hands of exploiters.

Initial Implementation in Florida

The initiative began this week in Florida, one of the states with the highest concentration of migrant families and with multiple police departments participating in the 287(g) program.

ICE confirmed that, as part of the operation, at least three Hondurans with pending criminal charges were arrested.

The arrests were not directly connected to the children’s care but occurred during the home-verification process.

The agency plans to expand the initiative to other states as more local partners join the effort.

Immigrant Advocates Voice Concerns

Immigrant-rights groups expressed concern about the scope of the program and its potential consequences.

Organizations have warned that the inspections could lead to the detention of undocumented relatives living with the minors, even if they have no criminal history.

Activists believe this could create fear within immigrant communities and discourage cooperation with authorities in cases involving child safety. The initiative, however, continues as ICE maintains that its primary goal is to “ensure the safety” of unaccompanied minors.

The verifications will expand as the program progresses, amid ongoing tension between immigration enforcement and the protection of family rights, according to EFE and SWI.