The abandonment of over 400,000 missing migrant children is a moral catastrophe that demands immediate, unrelenting action. During the Biden administration over 500,000 children crossed the U.S.-Mexico border alone, with 450,000 released to sponsors—many unvetted—leaving them defenseless against traffickers and predators. Stephen Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, revealed on July 25, 2025, that 90% of the addresses recorded for these children were “fake, false, or abandoned,” exposing a horrifying failure to track these vulnerable souls. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Charities, pocketing $449 million in taxpayer funds to manage these children, have betrayed their mission, staying silent on their safety while preaching “immigrant rights.” We salute President Trump’s administration for unleashing ICE and the FBI to hunt for these lost children and demand a full-scale mobilization to rescue them and punish severely the negligent NGOs fueling this disaster.
How could the Biden administration abandon over 400,000 unaccompanied migrant children to such a horrific fate? Senator Chuck Grassley reported over 526,000 unaccompanied migrant children attempting to cross the border, exposing the chaos of a system that lost track of these children. A 2021 Biden-Harris agreement deliberately choked data sharing between HHS and DHS, crippling efforts to expose the vulnerabilities in this systemic failure to monitor the wellbeing of these innocent children. Miller’s bombshell revelation that 90% of sponsor addresses were “fake, false, or abandoned” underscores the scale of this betrayal. In 2024, House testimony revealed over 320,000 children were unaccounted for—291,000 never received immigration court notices, and 32,000 skipped hearings, vanishing without a trace. Now, estimates exceed 400,000 missing children, a number that has surged as the Biden administration’s indifference coupled with the USCCB and Catholic Charities clueless complicity compounded the magnitude of this egregious failure. This is not ordinary negligence … it is not even gross negligence—it’s a deliberate failure that demands accountability and urgent action to save these children.
Liz Yore Joins Vicki Yamasaki for an Exclusive Interview
Shocking betrayal exposed! Over 400,000 migrant children missing under Biden’s watch, abandoned by the USCCB and Catholic Charities despite $449 million in taxpayer funds. Liz Yore, War Room regular and child advocate, unveils the truth with explosive testimony from Stephen Miller, Ali Hopper, the President and co-founder of GUARD Against Trafficking, and Mr. Clay. Don’t miss this urgent call to save these vulnerable children!
A Catastrophic Failure of Oversight
The Biden administration’s rush to release children overwhelmed HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), prioritizing speed over safety. Yet it could have been stopped. The USCCB and Catholic Charities could have insisted on protecting the children. Instead, they were too enamored with collecting their government paycheck and pleasing the Biden administration. Whistleblower Tara Rodas exposed a system akin to “government-sponsored, taxpayer-funded child trafficking,” with children placed with unvetted sponsors, some linked to MS-13 gangs or trafficking networks. Deborah White (another HHS whistleblower) reported instances like 329 children placed in two Houston apartments linked to trafficking, implicating Catholic Charities’ regional operations. Children have been found in forced labor, sex trafficking, or sent to non-existent addresses. A recent case in Ventura, California, saw eight children rescued from a marijuana facility, a stark example of the dangers of lax vetting.
HHS’s failures are well-documented: 31,000 sponsor addresses were blank or undeliverable, 80% were incorrect, and a hotline meant to protect children ignored 65,000 calls, including one where a child reported abuse by grown men, with no follow-up. These lapses left children prey to cartels and predators, a tragedy that could have been prevented with proper oversight.
NGOs’ Gross Negligence: $449 Million Misused
The USCCB and Catholic Charities, entrusted with $449 million in federal funds, were responsible for sheltering and placing unaccompanied children. According to USASpending.gov, the USCCB received $236 million since 2008 to oversee the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) program, while Catholic Charities affiliates, such as Galveston-Houston (87% of its federal funds) and Miami (81%), received $213 million. Despite their mission to uphold Catholic social teaching (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2241), these organizations failed to vet sponsors adequately.
Financial incentives raise red flags. Catholic Charities Fort Worth’s revenue surged from $32 million in 2020 to $289 million in 2023, largely from federal grants. A June 2025 House Committee on Homeland Security probe into over 200 NGOs, including the USCCB and Catholic Charities, investigates whether these funds facilitated negligence or illegal activity. Shockingly, 23 HHS contractors, including these Catholic organizations, refused to fully cooperate with congressional inquiries, further eroding trust.
USCCB and Catholic Charities’ Hypocritical Silence
Most reprehensible is the USCCB and Catholic Charities’ refusal to advocate publicly for the safety of these missing children. While they march in the streets for “immigrant rights” and issue statements on welcoming migrants, they have remained silent on the 400,000+ children lost under their watch. The USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services page emphasizes “just and humane treatment” for migrants but lacks any specific call to locate these children or combat trafficking risks. Catholic Charities USA’s public statements focus on broad immigration reform, ignoring the crisis of missing UACs they helped place.
This silence is a betrayal of their Catholic mission to protect the vulnerable (Catechism, 2241). St. Josephine Bakhita, patron saint of human trafficking victims, calls us to defend the exploited, yet these organizations have not organized campaigns, issued press releases, or demanded federal action to find these children, despite receiving $449 million to manage their care. Their vocal advocacy for immigrants contrasts starkly with their inaction on this crisis, suggesting either complicity in systemic failures or prioritization of financial and political interests over innocent lives.
President Trump’s Leadership: A Beacon of Hope
President Trump’s administration has taken decisive action to address this crisis, and we commend his leadership. Since his return to office in January 2025, ICE, with FBI and U.S. Marshals support, has located 13,061 missing children through targeted operations, including raids and door-knocking campaigns. The rescue of eight children from a marijuana facility in Ventura is a testament to his commitment to their welfare. Trump’s reinstatement of DNA testing, fingerprint checks, and valid ID requirements for sponsors has reversed Biden-era policies that obstructed law enforcement, such as the 2021 agreement limiting HHS data sharing with DHS. Additionally, the arrest of 422 sponsors suspected of abuse or trafficking shows his administration’s resolve to hold predators accountable.
These efforts stand in stark contrast to the failures of the USCCB, Catholic Charities, and other NGOs, whose negligence left children vulnerable. This administration’s focus on border security has reduced illegal crossings, creating an opportunity to tackle this backlog and prioritize child safety.
A Call to Action: Deploy Even More Resources, Prosecute the NGOs for Willful Misconduct and Recklessness
President Trump’s leadership is saving lives, but with over 400,000 children still unaccounted for, we urge his administration to deploy even more resources to protect these vulnerable innocent souls. The DHS OIG report highlighted outdated tracking systems and data mismatches between HHS and DHS, issues Grassley’s oversight confirmed. One whistleblower recounted a child’s screams during a sponsor call, with no response after the line disconnected, underscoring the urgency. We call on you to:
- Escalate Efforts to Find the Children: Allocate additional funding and personnel to ICE and the FBI, modernize tracking systems, and enforce rigorous sponsor vetting to locate the 400,000+ missing children. Every child deserves safety, not exploitation.
- Prosecute Reckless NGOs: Hold the USCCB, Catholic Charities, and other contractors like Southwest Key accountable for their failures. The House probe must lead to legal consequences for organizations that consciously and intentionally disregarded their duty, potentially violating federal child welfare and anti-trafficking laws.
- Demand Transparency: NGOs that received millions, including $449 million to the USCCB and Catholic Charities, must fully cooperate with Congress and disclose their vetting and placement practices.
The USCCB and Catholic Charities’ silence is indefensible. Their failure to advocate for these children, despite their $449 million role, is a moral failing that demands justice. As recipients of federal grants, the USCCB and Catholic Charities are subject to strict fiduciary responsibilities under U.S. law and grant provisions. If the claims by multiple whistleblowers is substantiated, they likely violated these responsibilities and should be held accountable.
As Catholics, we are called to protect the vulnerable, as St. Josephine Bakhita’s legacy reminds us. President Trump’s administration actions have given hope to these children. We pray the Trump administration intensify their efforts to save the missing migrant children and ensure that negligent NGOs face consequences for betraying their trust.
Join Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace in demanding accountability and protection for migrant children. Sign the petition below to help save the missing migrant children abandoned by the USCCB and Catholic Charities.
Contact us at CUP@corpuschristiforunityandpeace.org.