Federal Watchdog Report Finds Gaps in Criminal Background Checks for Caregivers of Unaccompanied Migrant Children
A Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General report found that the Office of Refugee Resettlement conducted only 176 of 256 required facility visits between September 2021 and August 2024, potentially allowing staff without completed criminal background checks to access unaccompanied migrant children. The Biden administration used unlicensed facilities to manage an influx of approximately 500,000 unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the southern border. The findings raise concerns about child safety and oversight in the federal system managing these vulnerable populations.
According to a federal watchdog report released Wednesday, the Office of Refugee Resettlement failed to conduct timely inspections of unlicensed facilities housing unaccompanied migrant children, resulting in gaps in criminal background check verification for caregivers. The report documented that between September 2021 and August 2024, only 176 of 256 required monitoring visits were completed at facilities in Texas and Florida. During inspections that did occur, auditors found that some facilities failed to conduct or properly document FBI fingerprint-based background checks, allowed checks to expire, or conducted Child Protective Services clearances after employees were already hired. In one case, inspectors found that a major care provider with 17 facilities in Texas had not conducted FBI background checks on more than 3,000 employees since being delicensed in August 2021. The ORR attributed monitoring delays to COVID-19 pandemic disruptions, the large influx of unaccompanied children, hiring freezes, and difficulty securing monitoring contractors.
What's missing
The article does not provide the specific findings or recommendations from the Inspector General's report beyond the monitoring visit statistics, nor does it include official response statements from the Biden administration or HHS beyond the agency's explanation for delays. Additionally, no information is provided about what corrective actions, if any, have been or will be implemented following the report's release.
What different sources said
- Daily WireRight
Biden Admin Placed Illegal Immigrant Children With Caregivers Who Never Had Criminal Background Checks
Related
Rep. Crockett and Alveda King clash at Capitol Hill hearing on SPLC funding
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Southern Poverty Law Center's funding practices, Rep. Jasmine Crockett criticized Republicans for what she called using Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece Alveda King as a 'prop' to deflect from racism allegations. Crockett accused the GOP of being predominantly white and unwelcoming to people of color, while Alveda King responded by asserting her legitimate place in the King family legacy. The exchange highlighted partisan disagreements over civil rights organizations and representation within the Republican Party.
DOJ Brief Claims Anti-Weaponization Fund Was Politically Neutral; Trump's Recent Comments Contradict That Position
The Department of Justice filed a brief arguing that Trump's proposed Anti-Weaponization Fund is moot because it will not be implemented, and denying claims it was designed to benefit Trump supporters. However, Trump stated in a recent television interview that the fund would benefit people hurt by the "radical-left," directly contradicting the DOJ's legal position. The discrepancy highlights tensions between the administration's official legal arguments and the president's public statements about the fund's intended purpose.
Bipartisan College Sports Reform Bill Creates Unusual Political Alliances
A Senate bill called the Protect College Sports Act, co-authored by Republican Ted Cruz and Democrat Maria Cantwell, is advancing with backing from President Trump and support from rival college football coaches. The legislation aims to regulate Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) payments and restore order to college athletics amid skyrocketing costs and roster instability. The bill has created unusual cross-party and regional alliances, though it faces opposition from some conservatives and progressives, as well as divisions among conference leaders.